Napa opens holiday tourney with victory

By ANDY WILCOX
Register Sports Writer

By the time Tyler Coon took the mound Thursday, the Raneri & Long/Mark Coleman Insurance fielders were ready for a break on defense.

They got it after San Rafael’s North Bay Bruins seemed to finally solve Napa starting pitcher Ben Monroe and make a one-run game of each team’s opener at the 33rd annual Keith Connelly 4th of July Invitational.

Coon struck out four of the seven batters he faced in two innings of relief for the save as his team pulled out a 5-3 victory at the Veterans Home of California’s Cleve Borman Field in Yountville.

A 2008 St. Helena High product with a high kick and pop reminiscent of former Oakland Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley, Coon struck out the side in the top of the sixth in just 11 pitches. His teammates rewarded him with an insurance run in the bottom half. Jonathan Orozco led off with a single and, after two strikeouts, Ethan Speizer ripped an RBI single for the 5-3 margin.

“We really needed some momentum, and those three strikeouts in that first inning he pitched were huge,” said Speizer, who went 3-for-4 with a triple to lead R & L/Coleman’s six-hit attack. “We wanted to get on the field and get off quick and get that insurance run.”

Coon walked the leadoff batter in the seventh, but got a strikeout, groundout and popup to end it.

“I was trying to go in there and make sure nothing started again,” Coon said. “I was trying to paint the outside corner a little more and throw strikes. When I realized I was throwing a little harder than they could hit, I just threw fastballs.”

With three 19-year-olds and nine 18-year-olds on its roster, R & L/Coleman wasted no time putting pressure on a San Rafael squad with no players on its roster older than 17.

After shortstop Dustin Mertens made two tough plays to help Monroe strand a runner in the top of the first inning, Speizer led off the bottom half with a single past the first baseman and took third on a groundout and a Mertens infield single.

Jake Dunkle then hit a dribbler that San Rafael pitcher Tyler Klein reached too late to get the speedy Speizer, who slid around the catcher’s tag. Jordan Burns walked and then beat a fielder’s choice by the shortstop to second base, allowing Mertens to score for a 2-0 lead.

In the third, Mertens (2-for-3) singled and stole second and, after Dunkle walked, scored on a bobbled throw at first base. Dunkle took third on the play, and then scored on Monroe’s groundout for a 4-0 advantage.

Monroe had been on a roll on the mound in the second and third frames, striking out four of five batters at one stretch. But a leadoff walk led to a Danny Roche RBI single in the fourth. Orozco got Monroe out of the inning with two nice unassisted putouts at first base.

In the fifth, Alex Helman smacked a ground-rule double into the ivy in right-center, and took third on a groundout. After Billy Galvin drew a two-out walk, he stole second and drew a throw from catcher Dunkle that allowed Helman to steal home. Third baseman Burns made a nice stab on Jake Toll-McKillop’s grounder but threw wide of first base, allowing Galvin to score and pull San Rafael to within 4-3.

Klein retired Napa 1-2-3 in the fifth, pumping his fist after each of two strikeouts. He would go the distance, finishing with five strikeouts, two walks and one hit batter.

“We just weren’t swinging well today for whatever reason,” Speizer said. “This was just one of those games where you had to scrap out a win however you could.”

Monroe allowed two hits, three walks and one earned run while striking out four.

“We can play better, but I’m happy with it,” R & L/Coleman assistant coach Randy Ward said. “I’m always happy with a win. It’s been a good season, and we want to keep rolling.”

The Napa squad will play at 4:30 p.m. today against San Francisco, which fell 7-5 to Daly City on Thursday.

“We don’t know much about them,” Speizer said. “All we’ve got to do is focus on what we’re gonna do and get some sleep tonight and come out tomorrow and play hard.”

In other games at Cleve Borman Field:

Sonoma 7, Vallejo 5

Ben Graff (2-for-4, two RBIs), Tyler Rose (2-for-4, RBI, two runs) and Jeremy Branconi (2-for-2) led Sonoma’s nine-hit attack in Wednesday’s tourney opener.

Griff Lucia, Steven Brooks and Marcus Ameltite also had hits.

Leading Vallejo were Daniel Marquez (3-for-4, two doubles), Devon Harris (1-for-4, two RBIs), Rolando O’Hallaran (1-for-4, RBI), and Joe Penaflor and Trey Houston (both 1-for-3).

San Carlos 14, Santa Rosa 0 (5 innings)

David DiPaola went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and Nick Sours added a three-run triple as San Carlos — which fell to Pacifica in last year’s championship game — opened with a rout Thursday. Also hitting well for the winners were Zack Turner (2-for-2, three runs), Jarrod Hopper (2-for-4, RBI), Payton Robinson (double, RBI), Nick Misa (1-for-1, RBI) and Devin Bradley and Tony Cooper (both 1-for-2).

Bradley, Garrett Treadwell and Hopper combined to pitch a one-hitter.

C.T. Piver broke up the no-hitter in the fifth for Santa Rosa.

South San Francisco P.A.L. 10, River City 1

Mike Lu went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and Kevin McGovern pitched a two-hitter to lead South City on Thursday. Also hitting well for the victors were Ryan McGill (2-for-3) and Devin Kelly, Steve Knudsen and Justin Enclavea (one hit, one RBI each).

For River City, Jake Lively and Jason Merjano each had a hit.

San Mateo 7, San Bruno 3

Matt Medeiros (2-for-4, two RBIs), Brett Montague (2-for-3) and Jack Ritzo (2-for-4) paced the winners’ nine-hit barrage Thursday. Max Meyers (two RBIs), R.J. Pagano (RBI) and Max Camplin also had hits.

For San Bruno, Mike McWilliams, Kevin McAlindon, Ricky Rolfes and Kevin Kent each had a hit.

2009 Keith Connelly

4th of July Invitational

July 1-5

Games played at Veterans Home of California’s Borman Field,

Justin-Siena High School and Napa High School

Wednesday’s Score

Sonoma 7, Vallejo Mets 5

Thursday’s Scores

NAPA 5, San Rafael 3

San Carlos 14, Santa Rosa 0, five innings

South City 10, River City 1

Tri-County 13, Capay Valley 3, six innings

San Mateo 7, San Bruno 3

Daly City 7, San Francisco 5

Millbrae 4, Pacifica 3

Today’s Games

NAPA vs. San Francisco, Vets Home, 4:30 p.m.

Sonoma vs. San Mateo, Justin-Siena, 9 a.m.

Capay Valley vs. Millbrae, Vets Home, 11 a.m.

Vallejo Mets vs. San Bruno, Justin-Siena, 11:30 a.m.

San Rafael vs. Daly City, Napa High, 11:30 a.m.

Pacifica vs. Tri-County, Vets Home, 1:45 p.m.

Santa Rosa vs. South City, Justin-Siena, 2:15 p.m.

San Carlos vs. River City, Justin-Siena, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday’s Games

NAPA vs. Daly City, Vets Home, 3:30 p.m.

San Francisco vs. San Rafael, Justin-Siena, 9 a.m.

River City vs. Santa Rosa, Vets Home, 10 a.m.

Vallejo Mets vs. San Mateo, Napa High, 10:30 a.m.

Tri-County vs. Millbrae, Justin-Siena, 11:30 a.m.

San Carlos vs. South City, Vets Home, 12:45 p.m.

Pacifica vs. Capay Valley, Justin-Siena, 2:15 p.m.

Sonoma vs. San Bruno, Justin-Siena, 4:45 p.m.

Sunday’s Games

Pool 1 vs. Pool 2 winners, Vets Home, 10 a.m.

Pool 3 vs. Pool 4 winners, Vets Home, 1 p.m.

Championship Game, Vets Home, 3:15 p.m.

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