Sebastopol shuts out Crushers

Top: Matt Raichart slides into second with a stolen base as Alfred Garcia can’t come up with the ball. Bottom: Sonoma starter Jesse Asher contemplates his performance after being removed as pitcher in the eighth inning. Photos by Matt Hanlon

By Matt Hanlon

Wine Country Baseball.com

The Crushers were able to hold the burgeoning Apples’ offense to four runs through eight innings. But in the ninth inning, Sebastopol poured on the hurt.

Then again, it didn’t help that Sonoma’s offense was kept off the board.

The Apples had six hits and four runs in the top of the ninth to top off an impressive performance as they cruised to an 8-0 victory over the Sonoma Crushers Saturday at Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa.

Cameron Ross was the man behind the win, pitching eight scoreless innings and allowing only three hits and two walks. Ross threw 114 pitches and struck out nine in the performance.

Jason Porter came on to pitch the ninth, earning the save. He allowed two hits but kept Sonoma (4-6) off the board to preserve combined shutout.

Mitch Tucker led Sebastopol’s offense with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and a run scored, finishing 3-for-4. Matt Raichart, David Raichart and Trooper Marcellino each finished with two hits, and an RBI.

The Apples (6-3) got their first run on the board in the second inning, off a single by Raichart that brought home Marcellino. They scored one run in the fifth, another in the seventh and once more in the eighth before the big rally in the ninth.

Jesse Asher was branded with the loss for Sonoma. He kept his team within striking distance though, allowing four runs on eight hits through 7 1/3 innings.