The Acalanes Dons are headed to the NCS Championship after a gritty and electrifying 4–2 win over Cardinal Newman on the road on Wednesday. And, the Dons came out swinging…literally. Leadoff catalyst Ando Butner stepped in, worked the count to 2-0, then said ‘enough waiting around’ and obliterated a 92 mph fastball deep to left for a leadoff home run on pitch No. 3. That’s how you light a fire! And Acalanes didn’t let it burn out. James Stadt followed with a sharp single, David Gonzales drew a walk, and then sophomore Jimmy Cusumano delivered the early dagger, ripping a two-run double to make it 3–0 before some fans had even settled in. ALL IN!
In the third, the Dons stayed aggressive. Keegan Goddard hit a hard grounder to short, which was bobbled, he reached first, then promptly stole second. That hustle paid off as Gonzales came through again with a clutch RBI single to left, stretching the lead to 4–0. Drew Asadorian added a spark in the seventh with a triple, a long drive to right, showing off his wheels and putting pressure on the Cardinal defense. ALL IN!
Cardinal Newman scratched out runs in the third and fifth, but the Dons never blinked, thanks to a money performance from Branson “B$” Smith. The junior was ice in his veins and cash on the mound, spinning a complete game gem with just three hits, two earned runs, and three strikeouts. Backed by a nearly flawless defense, only one hiccup all day, the Dons turned the field into a no-go zone. No matter what the Cardinals tried, they just couldn’t crack the B$ code. ALL IN!
The defense came up huge in the sixth inning—two outs, one runner on, and the Cardinals threatening to flip the game. A high fly ball soared toward deep left, and as it carried toward the fence, Cardinal fans erupted, runners charging home. But then...Ben Pecci happened. Mr. All In!
Sprinting full tilt with his back to the infield, Pecci twisted mid-stride and somehow pulled off an over-the-shoulder grab just shy of the warning track. The roar from the Cardinal side froze midair and flipped to a thunderous explosion from the Acalanes faithful.
Then, in the bottom of the sixth: one pop out, one strikeout, and one final moment of brilliance. Tyler Winkles slid cleanly to stop a sharp grounder at second, then whipped a throw across his body at an angle to first base. Bang-bang play. That’s the game. ALL IN.
Tostitos Players of the Game
- Branson Smith – Complete game. Zero panic. All business.
- Ben Pecci – Over-the-shoulder catch. Rally killer.
- Ando Butner – Leadoff bomb. Statement made.
- Jimmy Cusumano – Two-run double. Momentum builder.
Next Up: The NCS Championship Game
Diablo Valley College
Saturday at 1 PM vs. Rancho Cotate Cougars
Tickets at GoFan.co
No pity for the kitty — let’s finish this thing!
School’s out for summer, but the Dons Baseball is still in session, and the final exam is the NCS Championship. On Saturday at 1 PM, Acalanes takes the field at Diablo Valley College to face the Rancho Cotate Cougars with a title on the line.
Sunshine? Check. Summer vibes? Check. Playoff baseball? You bet. There’s no better way to kick off the summer vacay than by backing the boys in blue and turning DVC into Don Country for the day. So grab your hat, throw on your shades, and most importantly, rock that blue like you mean it. Let’s paint the stands in Acalanes pride and bring the kind of noise that echoes down the 680 freeway. No pity for the kitty…
See you there, loud and proud. ALL IN!