Owls get first win of season

For a slideshow of the Owls’ first win, click here.

By Matt Hanlon

Wine Country Baseball.com

The scene could not have been more perfect. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth the Owls led 4-1, the tying run at the plate for the Yountville Robins, one out away from their first win of a trying season.

Fog encircled Golis Park, enveloping the field in a heavy mist as the Owls held baited breath. Their efforts would not be wasted, Ryan Surina forced Martin Macias to fly out to right field for the final out of the Owls 4-1 victory on Friday night.

Surina went the distance for the Owls, allowing only one run on five hits and four walks. Surina was all smiles after the game.

“It felt great to get a first win,” he said. “When you don’t make mistakes you get wins (like this).”

The big hit of the game for Healdsburgh (1-9) came off the bat of Rob Tosti, who singled in the fourth, driving home two runs. The timely at-bat gave the Owls a 2-0 lead that they would not relinquish. Tosti had two of the Owls’ four hits.

The Robins were less than stellar in the field, committing three errors. Only one of Healdsburgh’s runs was unearned, however.

Garrett Greenwood pitched four plus innings and received the loss. But he also scored the sole run for the Robins (1-8), off a single by Athen Putnam in the fifth.

Until Friday the Owls were the lone WCB team without a win. But just as many teams around the league, Surina has noticed marked improvement in his team over the last few weeks. 

“We saw there was a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “We knew we could go out tonight and get a win.”