Rabinovitz tournament puts high school baseball in spotlight

Six Redwood Empire baseball teams and two from outside the area will decide the winner of the 22nd annual A.L. Rabinovitz Tournament when play begins Wednesday on three fields in Santa Rosa. The start of the tournament was pushed back one day from its original schedule because of field conditions

A majority of the squads will play two games the first day and one on Thursday. The winner will be crowned following the championship game set for 4 p.m. at Montgomery High.

In opening-round play beginning at 10:30 a.m., Petaluma faces Chico (Montgomery field), Ukiah against Northgate (Doyle Park) and Piner vs. Windsor (Prospectors’ field). Host Montgomery swings into action at 4 p.m. while Sonoma Academy will play only one game (Wednesday 2 p.m. at Doyle).

Chico brings the best record to the tournament. The Panthers are 5-0 and averaging nine runs per game. The pitching staff has given up a total of five runs.

“We’re getting good pitching and hitting the ball,” coach Chip Carton said. “We feel pretty good about our three starting pitchers and the top of the line-up has consistently hit the ball hard.”

Cole Fiori and Trenton York have been Chico’s most productive hitters.

Petaluma won the tournament two years ago and comes in this season at 2-4. However, one of the Trojans’ victories was against Casa Grande. The Gauchos are favored to win the North Bay League and that’s their only loss.

The Petaluma pitching staff will bring a 5.42 earned run average to town. Nick Andrakin and Danny Marzo have been solid, according to coach Paul Cochrun.

The Petaluma offense has been good. Leading the way with a .545 average is Andrakin. Another solid bat belongs to Luke Wheless. The senior has eight hits in 16 at bats.

“What we hope to get out of the tournament is consistensy,” Cochrun said. “We’re capable of playing better than we have We’re trying to put it all together.”

Ukiah has the second best record (3-1) in the tournament. The Wildcats will have been off two weeks when they take the field Wednesday.

“We got rained out several times,” coach Stephen Summers said. “Needless to say, we’re itching to play.”

Ukiah has top pitching behind Colton Crabtree and Devin Kirby. On offense, Karter Koch and Joe Brazil have been swinging hot bats.

“If we pitch well and play good defense we should be in every game,” Summers said. “I feel good about things.”