The Varsity Baseball team headed to Danville on Wednesday to take on the San Ramon Valley High School Wolves. West Coast Preps has the Wolves ranked as the #3 team in the Bay Area after they beat the Benicia Panthers 13-1 in their season opener. The stage was set for a stout early season test for the feisty Dons at Rick Steen Ballpark on the SRV campus.
Acalanes lefty hurler Henry Souza took the mound under sunny skies on a beautiful day for baseball. The game was scoreless heading into the bottom of the 2nd inning. Henry gave up a walk to start the frame. After retiring the next two hitters the Wolves grabbed a 2-0 lead after hitting a home run to right field to clear their short porch. The SRV squad exploded in an aggressive celebration, but the Dons would have the last laugh on this picture perfect day. Souza buckled down and only gave up one hit the rest of the contest. He pitched an impressive complete game going 7 innings, giving up 2 hits and a walk to go with 6 strikeouts in a tidy 76 pitch outing.
After falling behind for the third consecutive game, the boys began their third consecutive comeback. Designated Hitter Isaac Copen led off the top of the third with a tough at bat that resulted in Copen being hit by a pitch to put a runner on first. Shortstop James Stadt walked to put two runners on. Paul “Flash” Kuhner came in to run for Isaac and immediately drew three hard throws to second from the SRV pitcher. Kuhner’s presence on the bases seemed to distract the hurler. Left fielder Everett Glass laid down a nice sacrifice bunt and the Dons had runners on second and third with the top of the order coming up. Center fielder Keegan Goddard singled to center to score Kuhner, before right fielder David Gonzalez laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to score a streaking James Stadt from third and tie the game at 2-2.
The score remained the same heading into the home half of the 4th inning. Souza struck out the first batter before hitting the second to put a runner on first. The following hitter smoked a sharp grounder to second baseman Mason Zirkel, who fielded it cleanly and made a nice flip to Stadt for the out at second before James fired a strike to first to complete the inning ending double play. The Dons double play combination was clicking again. They had two for the day and increased their total to four for the season.
Third baseman Gavin Bender, centerfielder Keegan Goddard and first baseman Sully Bailey also flashed the leather throughout the afternoon with outstanding defensive plays to preserve the Acalanes lead. The Dons put three more runs on the board in the top of the 5th, highlighted by a David Gonzales sacrifice fly to center to score James Stadt and a deep two out double over the left fielder’s head to score Everett Glass and Keegan Goddard by catcher Benji O’Rourke. Souza took care of the Wolves in their half of the frame to keep the score at 5-2 heading into the 6th inning.
After a lead off out Mason Zirkel came up to bat and drilled a line drive off of the pitcher to get on with a single. Isaac Copen then singled to right to move Zirkel to third. With two outs in the inning the Dons pulled off a double steal to score Mason, advance Isaac to second and increase the Acalanes lead to 6-2.
SRV went quietly again in their half of the inning. Goddard led off for the 7th for the boys and was hit by a pitch for the second time of the day. After an SRV error, Keegan found himself on 3rd base. Gonzales sniffed another RBI and got it with a single to center field for David’s third run batted in of the game.
Souza took the hill in the bottom of the 7th and retired San Ramon in order to record Henry’s first complete game of the early season. The Dons are 3-0 and looking good. They were scheduled to play Miramonte on Thursday but the game was rained out. The Dons are playing some fast break baseball. It’s exciting, it’s fun to watch and so far it’s very successful. Come out and see this squad perform.
Go Dons!