NCS softball, baseball roundup: Rancho Cotate girls easily handle Petaluma

No. 5-seeded Rancho Cotate had no problems putting away visiting No. 12 Petaluma on Tuesday evening in the first round of the NCS Division 2 softball playoffs, winning 11-0.

The catalyst for the Cougars (20-7) was starting pitcher K.T. Hager, who got the win with three innings of scoreless ball. Hager also got the Rancho Cotate offensive fireworks started with a leadoff home run on the third pitch in the bottom of the first inning.

“K.T.’s homer was a great little spark for us at the beginning of the game,” Rancho Cotate coach Tracey Poueu-Guerrero said.

Trojans coach Kurt Jastrow agreed that Hager’s homer and early-inning pitching were keys to the game.

“It was a shot, a bomb. It was a no-doubter and Hager got every bit of it,” Jastrow said. “Hager kept us off-balance and she throws the ball well. She is a very good pitcher.”

The Trojans (16-10-1) turned in a disappointing effort, committing four costly errors that led to six unearned runs for the Cougars. Offensively, the Trojans never found their rhythm.

“We didn’t play very well. The girls just didn’t come to play today,” Jastrow lamented. “We made some errors and gave them a couple of big innings. When it was 7-0 (after the second inning) the game was effectively over.”

Petaluma’s Jaden Krist took the loss, lasting 3? innings.

Hager (2-3, 3 runs, HR, RBI) and teammate Brittany Scardina (3-3, 2 runs, 3 RBIs) led the Cougars’ attack.

“Scardina is hitting really well and the key was her pitch selection today,” Poueu-Guererro said. “I just wish we would have been able to not face a local team in the first round. Petaluma is a better team than it showed today.”

A possible showdown with No. 4 Montgomery, which plays its opening game today against No. 13 Las Lomas, looms on Friday or Saturday in the second round. The Vikings have defeated the Cougars five of their last six meetings over the past two seasons.

Baseball

Petaluma 5, ?San Lorenzo 4

The No. 4 Trojans (18-9) utilized timely hitting to defeat the No. 13 Rebels (15-11-1) in an Division 2 first-round game. Petaluma, while technically the home team, had to travel to San Lorenzo due to a rule giving the Rebels the home field since they won their league.

Petaluma, however, didn’t let the adversity of playing on the road weigh it down, jumping out to a 4-1 lead after two innings and never looking back.

The big blow was a bases-loaded triple in the second inning by Petaluma’s Porter Slate that plated three runs with two outs.

“We had one big hit. It was huge and it set the tone for the entire game,” Petaluma coach Jim Selvitella said. “For us to come out with a win against a league champion on the road, we are very proud.”

The Trojans lost their starter, Blake Burher, after two innings due to a sore elbow. Reliever Matius Lipsie was pressed into emergency duty and kept San Lorenzo at bay for four innings to earn the win.

Petaluma closer Connor Richardson put out the Rebels’ fire in the seventh inning to seal the victory.

“The big difference for us was the way Matius stepped up. He did an outstanding job,” Selvitella said. “Connor came up big time in the seventh and just shut it down.”

Johnathan Sira took the loss for San Lorenzo.

In addition to Slate, Daniel Marzo was the hitting star for the Trojans, going 3-4 with a double and two runs.

The Trojans play a second round game either Friday or Saturday against the winner of today’s No. 5 Ukiah-No. 12 Washington (San Francisco) game.

Analy 7, San Rafael 2

The No. 2 Tigers (23-4) won as expected against the visiting?No. 15 Bulldogs (12-13-1) in a Division 3 opening-round game. Analy relied on a 5-run third inning to ensure the win.

Analy starter Mason Snodgrass gave up only one hit (a sixth-inning bunt single) in six innings and earned the win. Both of San Rafael’s runs came off leadoff walks issued by Snodgrass in the fifth and sixth innings.

“Mason is a strike thrower and he kept the ball down and we played good defense behind him,” Analy coach Jeff Ogston said.

Keaton Bates (2-4, run, RBI), Jeff Pearson (1-3, double, 2 RBIs), and Luke Tollini (2-3, run) led the Tigers offensively.

Analy’s second-round game on Friday or Saturday will be against the winner of today’s No. 7 Eureka-No. 10 San Marin (Novato) first-round game. The Tigers defeated both Eureka and San Marin in the preseason.

“Those teams are both similar in what they do,” Ogston said. “We are familiar with both teams.”

Moreau Catholic 6, Sonoma Valley 1

The visiting No. 11 Dragons (14-11) went down in a Division 3 first-round game after leading 1-0 against the Mariners (17-8) in the top of the first inning.

Sonoma, however, could not hold on to the lead, giving up five runs in the next three innings.

“We didn’t play very well. We threw a lot of pitches. It’s a curse we have had all year, not throwing strikes and going deep into counts,” Sonoma coach Don Lyons said. “Moreau Catholic was better than us today, but we didn’t do ourselves any favors with the number of pitches and two costly (defensive) mistakes.”

Three Sonoma errors led to two unearned runs for the Mariners.

Tanner Granzella pitched a complete game for the win while Sonoma starter Carson Snyder took the loss, going 3 ? innings and giving up seven hits.

“We couldn’t get outs; that’s all there is to it,” Lyons said.