3/23/23: The Redwood Varsity Baseball Giants struck early and often in a 10-2 thrashing of the current MCAL bottom-dwelling San Rafael Bulldogs, on a chilly March afternoon at Moody Field. The win brings Giants Head Coach Mike Firenzi to 499 wins over his illustrious career.
Senior southpaw Rory Minty tossed the first four innings for the Giants, allowing one run on three hits, striking out five Bulldogs on zero walks, and moving to 6-0 on the year. Jerry Omara, Matthew Knauer and Chas Veley combined to mop up for the Giants, as plenty of fresh faces saw playing time from the fifth inning onwards.
The Giants’ third basemen led the way at the plate, with starter Rex Solle producing two hits, two runs and a walk, while his replacement Lucas Ghio came up with two hits, a run and an RBI of his own. Catcher Rory Coughlin contributed two hits as well; a total of eight Giants hit safely on the day. Interestingly, none of their eleven total hits went for extra bases.
In the bottom of the first, the Giants went up 4-0 on two walks, three singles and an error, and it felt like the game might turn into a runaway. But while the Giants did score ten runs on the day, they also stranded eleven runners, seeming at times to be caught off-balance by the Bulldogs’ noticeably slower pitching.
Shortstop Danil Wells highlighted the Giants’ day in the field, turning in another defensive gem. With two outs in the top of the 5th, Bulldog right fielder Samuel Perez smacked what looked to be a line drive single up the middle. But with a quick first step to his left, Wells had other ideas. Diving, fully extended towards second base, Wells thrust the web of his glove along the ground and slid it just under the arriving ball, taking it on the fly to retire the side.
By then the score was 8-1, and the outcome never in doubt. The win brings Redwood to 9-1 for the season (5-0 MCAL), and sets the stage for tomorrow’s rematch, also at Moody Field, where the Giants hope to produce Coach Firenzi’s 500th career win at the expense of these same Bulldogs. Next week, MCAL action continues on Tuesday, as the Giants are scheduled to take on the Peregrine Falcons of Archie Williams in San Anselmo.