Despite the losses, Healdsburg is still the team everyone else in the league is chasing.|
GUS MORRIS
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Healdsburg Prune Packers (10-2 PEL, 19-2 overall)
The Pack are undefeated no more, falling in consecutive Pacific Empire League games to the Medford Rogues and West Coast Kings last week by scores of 10-9 and 7-5.
But despite the losses, Healdsburg is still the team everyone else in the league is chasing.
The Prune Packers rebounded nicely with a 7-2 win over Solano on Sunday and are set for another six-game slate this week, starting with the West Coast Kings on Tuesday.
In both of their losses last week, neither game was decided until late.
The Rogues got a single run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs for a 10-9 walk-off win Thursday. Jake Tatom (Sam Houston State) and Logan Sutter (Purdue) had huge games at the plate for Healdsburg, going 5-for-5 with two RBIs and 3-for-5 with three RBIs, respectively.
On Friday, the Pack forced extra innings with three runs in the bottom of the eighth before the West Coast Kings plated three runs in the top of the 10th for the win. Former Rancho Cotate star Joey Kramer (Washington State) homered twice with three RBIs for the Pack. Kramer currently leads the team in home runs with nine while batting .347 with a team-high 22 RBIs.
Sutter had a huge week offensively, collected eight hits in 15 at-bats with a home run and 11 RBIs in five games. He drove in five runs in their 8-6 win over Medford on Wednesday and two more in their 7-2 win over Solano on Sunday.
Pitching standouts last week were Caden Wooster (Santa Clara), Jaden Alba (Arizona State) and Wyatt Tucker (Sam Houston State).
Tucker struck out seven with four hits and one unearned run allowed in five innings in a no-decision in the loss to the West Coast Kings. Wooster struck out seven with two hits and one run allowed in five in the 7-4 June 25 win over Medford. And Alba struck out nine with one hit allowed in five shutout innings on Sunday. Packers pitchers combined for 19 strikeouts against Solano.
Recent results (* = league game)
Healdsburg 7, Medford Rogues 4*
Healdsburg 8, Medford Rogues 6*
Medford Rogues 10, Healdsburg 9*
West Coast Kings 7, Healdsburg 5*
Healdsburg 7, Solano Mudcats 2*
Upcoming schedule
Wed: Healdsburg vs. Lincoln Potters, Rec Park, 6 p.m.*
Thurs: Healdsburg vs. Petaluma Athletic Edge Express, Rec Park, 6 p.m.
Fri: Healdsburg vs. West Coast Kings, Rec Park, 6 p.m.*
Sat: Healdsburg vs. West Coast Kings, Rec Park, 6 p.m.*
Sun: Healdsburg at Solano Mudcats, 1 p.m.
Mon: No game
Tues: Healdsburg at Lincoln Potters, 6:35 p.m.*
Sonoma Stompers (8-8 CCLN, 16-10 overall)
It was an up-and-down week for the Stompers, who went 3-3 and split a two-game against a local American Legion program.
Granted, the Petaluma Leghorns are flush with talent this year and have been one of the top programs in the region for the last few years, and the Stompers rebounded from their 6-4 11-inning loss with an 11-3 victory and then closed out the week with a 13-1 rout of California Collegiate League foe Menlo Park.
As CCL play nears the midway point, Sonoma is currently tied for third place in the North Division standings with the San Luis Obispo Blues and is just a half-game back of the Menlo Park Legends for second place.
In their 5-2 win over San Francisco on Wednesday, the Stompers’ Garrett James (Texas Lutheran) pitched four scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts and just one hit allowed while Tyler Holley (Cal State Fullerton) had three hits with an RBI and Jack Scheri (Creighton) doubled with two RBIs.
In their 6-4 loss to the Leghorns — where Petaluma scored two runs in the top of the 11th after Grand Canyon University commit Devon Laguinto struck out seven with three hits over seven shutout innings — Holley drove in a pair of runs and AJ Carter doubled twice with an RBI.
In their 11-3 rebound win over the Leghorns, Paul Contreras (Cal State Fullerton) tripled with four RBIs, Jack Lazark (Santa Clara) doubled with three RBIs and Evan Sandoval (SRJC) struck out six in four innings of no-hit ball.
And then in Sunday’s 13-1 win, Hawk Hill (Cumberland University) struck out seven in four shutout innings while Noel Alijah Ramos (Cal State Fullerton), Lazark and Carter had two RBIs apiece.
Recent results
Alameda Merchants 6, Sonoma 5*
Sonoma 5, San Francisco Seagulls 2*
Menlo Park Legends 4, Sonoma 1*
Petaluma Leghorns 6, Sonoma 4
Sonoma 11, Petaluma Leghorns 3
Sonoma 13, Menlo Park Legends 1*
Upcoming schedule
Wed: Sonoma vs. Menlo Park Legends, Arnold Field, 7:05 p.m.*
Thurs: Sonoma vs. San Francisco Seagulls, Arnold Field, 7:05 p.m.*
Fri: Sonoma vs. Walnut Creek Crawdads, Arnold Field, 7:05 p.m.
Sat: Sonoma vs. Menlo Park Legends, Arnold Field, 7:05 p.m.*
Sun: Sonoma vs. Petaluma Athletic Edge Express, 6:05 p.m.
Mon: No game
Tues: Sonoma vs. Alameda Merchants, Arnold Field, 6:05 p.m.*
Petaluma Athletic Edge Express (2-12)
Despite their record, Athletic Edge has remained competitive against some of the top college programs in the area, with six of their 12 losses coming by just one run.
They added two more tough-luck losses this week, 7-6 and 8-9 to the Humboldt Crabs and Lincoln Potters of the PEL.
Athletic Edge was actually three outs away from beating Humboldt, but the Crabs scored twice in the bottom of the ninth for a walk-off win. Zane Boban-Bennett had two hits and three RBIs in that game for Athletic Edge.
In their 9-8 loss to Lincoln, Joe Brown (SRJC) hit a home run and finished with four RBIs and Jelani Mason (Sonoma State) drove in a pair of runs. Athletic Edge nearly rallied all the way back from an 8-3 deficit.
Athletic Edge finally snapped its five-game skid Friday. Derek Bartram (College of Marin) doubled with two RBIs and JT Summers (SRJC) brought in a pair of runs.
Recent results
Humboldt Crabs 11, Athletic Edge Express 2
Humboldt Crabs 7, Athletic Edge Express 6
Lincoln Potters 9, Athletic Edge Express 8
Athletic Edge Express 7, NorCal Warriors 4
Upcoming schedule
Wed: No game
Thurs: Athletic Edge Express at Healdsburg Prune Packers, Rec Park, 6 p.m.
Fri: No game
Sat: Athletic Edge Express vs. Berkovich, Casa Grande, 11 a.m.
Sun: Athletic Edge Express at Sonoma Stompers, Arnold Field, 6:05 p.m.
Mon: No game
Tues: No game
You can reach Staff Writer Gus Morris at 707-304-9372 or gus.morris@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @JustGusPD.
