BASEBALL: Dons Lose to SRV with Walk-off Heart Breaker

By Ron Dronkers

San Ramon Valley HS - The Dons returned from Spring Break to face the San Ramon Valley Wolves at Rick Steen Varsity Field last Wednesday.  Despite a long, unexpected break from games and practice due to unrelenting rain storms up and down the coast, the Don's offense looked as if it hadn't missed a beat, plating 3 runs in the first inning.

JR/OF Michael Echavia led-off with single and advanced to 2B with SR/INF Jimmy Doyle's base hit down the 3rd base line.  JR/C Daniel Jackson then roped a double to score Echavia.  JR/INF Nick Carney walked to load the bases and SO/INF Austin Piscotty took one for the team getting hit by a pitch forcing in Doyle.  With JR/INF Nick McGillivary at the plate, the SRV committed a balk which sent Jackson home for the 3rd run.

SO/INF Connor Caspersen led the 2nd inning with a walk, stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on SR/OF Jonathan Camello's sacrifice swinging bunt, and scored on Doyle's base hit to center.  SR/RHP Luc Coleman (starting pitcher) easily locked up another inning retiring the side in order.

SRV's offense came to life in the 4th.  After Coleman struck out the lead-off hitter, SRV answered back with 4 consecutive base hits and 2 runs before Coach Cesario sent Doyle to the bump with runners at 2nd and 3rd.  Doyle walked his first batter on a 7-pitch at-bat to load the bases followed by a strike-out and a routine put-out to end the threat.

The Dons scored again in the 5th with Doyle reaching on a base hit to right field, then trotted all the way home on Jackson's high arching 2-run homer over the left field fence.

The Dons could not captialize on hits by SR/OF Brett Kalepp (doubled to left) and Caspersen (bunt) in the top of the 6th.  However, SRV did take advantage in their half of the inning with 2 straight walks and a hit to load the bases. Coach Cesario then called for JR/RHP Jake Dronkers to relieve Doyle.  Dronkers' first batter walked to force in SRV's 3rd run followed by an infield pop-up for the first out.  The next batter hit a routine grounder to Piscotty at shortstop for what looked like the start of a possible double play, but his throw to Caspersen sailed wide into right field for a 2-run error.  Dronkers got the 2nd out on a fielder's choice which plated another runner before ending the inning with a fly out to left field.  (Score: 6-6)

Doyle led-off the 7th with his 4th consecutive hit - a homerun over the right field wall to regain the lead.  Echavia took the hill to close out the game hoping for a save and a Don win, but bases were quickly loaded on 3 hits followed by a loopy pop-up into shallow right field scoring two runs for a walk-off base hit to end the game with an SRV win.