The Pleasanton Pony U-12 Black Sox started their season opener with a 13-9 win over Clayton Valley. Everyone from the team contributed to the win with solid pitching by Tyler Grider, Christopher Zerio and Ben Sornsen. On offense, Brandon Ganguet earned a double while Grider, Sornsen, Nick Brothers, Matt Bati, Dan Lasalaand Grant Loud all added singles. The team defense added two more double plays. In the bottom of the third, when it looked like the momentum was going to Clayton Valley, Grider at short made a leaping catch and throw to Sornsen at first to get out of the inning with a huge double play. Later in the game, Zerio at short snagged a great catch to also throw a Clayton runner out at second with a throw to Loud.
The game was a nailbiter with the score going back and forth. Clayton was ahead in the bottom of the sixth 9-8. The opponents had two outs on the Black Sox. Grider came to the plate and hit a shot out past third to get on first. Ganguet was up next and out ran a play at first that was dropped to score Grider. A great hit by Lasala scored two more to put the Black Sox ahead 13-9. The defense went on to hold Clayton from scoring to put their first win on the scorebook.
In their second game for the weekend, the Black Sox pulled out a win against the Danville Diablos. The Black Sox bats were on fire in the first inning. Nick Brothers started the inning off with triple, Christopher Zerio and Matt Bati had base hits and Grant Loud added to the hit column with a double.
The Diablos battled and pulled ahead by one run until the fifth inning when Adam Yount and Devin DeBrum walked, bringing up Brothers who once again hit a triple to score two more runs. Loud followed up with a single and RBI. The Diablos battled back once again to tie the score in the seventh, pushing the game into extra innings. The Black Sox couldn’t be happier to have their lead off hitter, Brothers, at the plate. As he had done the entire game, Brothers kept the Black Sox alive with a smashing double. Zerio ended the game with a bomb hit to left field for a home run. The final score was 7-6. Great Black Sox pitching from Ben Sornsen and Sean Stiles and fielding by Brad Hanna added to the win.
Tournament champs
The team participated in its first tournament of the year in Walnut Creek over the weekend of Feb. 10. The Black Sox were undefeated at 3-0 going into the championship round. The team scored first in the championship round, but could not overcome the strength of the Lafayette Generals, a hard hitting team. In the final game against Danville, the Black Sox continued their strong defense when catcher Nick Brothers, gunned one to Sean Stiles at third saving the potential winning run. Grant Loud, backing up an over throw to first from right field, also made a spectacular save, Derek Jeter style, throwing another runner out at home. Nick Brothers and Brandon Ganguet also added to the offense with doubles and Christopher Zerio tripled to score the tying run in the seventh inning, sending the game to extra innings. The Black Sox let the game slip away in the eighth, finishing fourth overall. Additional highlights of their opening tournament included scoring a double play on defense in four of their five games, a great way to start the season.
–Eileen Grider
