In blistering, surface-of-the-sun heat, the Acalanes turned up the temperature even more, scorching Rancho Cotate 7–1 to claim the 2025 North Coast Section Championship.
Leading the charge? None other than freshly graduated Brady Quinn, who tossed his cap on Friday and then turned around Saturday to toss five shutout innings. He allowed only two hits, struck out one, walked two, and walked off with legend status Austin McManamon stepped in to close it out with two-plus innings of work. When it was time to seal the deal, McManamon slammed the door shut. He came in cool, calm, and clutch, working two-plus innings to lock it down. Final out. Game over. The Dons are champs.
Acalanes wasted no time getting the bats going. In the bottom of the first, Ando Butner ripped a shot to the left, then stole second with urgency. James Stadt followed with a clutch RBI single to right to open the scoring. Keegan Goddard kept things moving with a base hit, and then Jimmy Cusumano, the rising junior, stepped up and smashed a double to center to drive in two more runs. Just like that, it was 3–0 after one inning, and Rancho Cotate was on the ropes.
In the fifth, the heat briefly stole the spotlight when the plate umpire had to leave the game due to heat exhaustion. It was a hot one! But after a quick umpire swap, the Dons stayed dialed in. Stadt singled again, Goddard doubled him home, and Cusumano crushed his second double of the day. Acalanes extended the lead to 5–0 and showed no signs of slowing down.
The Cougars scratched across one run in the sixth, but Acalanes clapped right back, no pity for the kitty. Ben Pecci dropped in a clean single, and Dom Patitucci took one for the team after being hit by a pitch. Stadt stepped in once more and delivered a bomb to center, a towering triple that drove in two more runs and lit up the dugout. The Dons didn’t just win, they dominated. In the heat, under pressure, and with signature style. Seven on the board for the Dons.
Acalanes kept Rancho Cotate’s outfield busy and breathless, ripping 11 hits with the sizzle of a team on a hot streak. On the flip side, the Dons’ defense turned the field into a dead end, every grounder scooped, every fly ball tracked down with precision. The Cougars managed just four hits all game. Graduation was Friday. The championship was on Saturday. And for the seniors on this team, it doesn’t get much sweeter than walking across the stage and then walking back onto the field to cap their high school careers as the 2025 NCS Champions.
A Look Back at the Dons’ NCS Run:
The Dons kicked off their postseason in commanding fashion, dispatching Ukiah 3–1. In the quarterfinals, they unleashed an offensive barrage, torching Campolindo 10–0 in just five innings. The semifinals delivered a heavyweight showdown against defending four-time NCS champs Cardinal Newman, but the Dons rose to the moment, grinding out a 4–2 victory to punch their ticket to the finals. There, they left no doubt, dominating Rancho Cotate 7–1 to claim the crown as 2025 North Coast Section Baseball Champions.
What’s Next:
School is out for summer, but Dons baseball isn’t done yet. Acalanes continues its postseason journey on Tuesday in the CIF Regional Championship, with official matchups to be announced Sunday afternoon.
The CIF Regional Baseball Championships will feature eight-team brackets across five divisions, with up to 40 teams total. To be eligible, teams must have competed and qualified through their CIF Section Championships. Acalanes has done just that, and they’re ready for more. ALL IN!
