The Giants played three games in five days, travelled to Napa, and came home to face cross-town rival, 
Marin Catholic, to secure the 2017 MCAL Pennant for Redwood High School by beating Tamalpais, Justin-Siena and MC.
In Napa, the boys rolled on offense, combining for twelve hits, scoring ten runs in a 10-4 victory. Offensively, Jack Morken hit two triples and a double, scored three runs and knocked in two RBI’s for the Giants. Jake Nordstrom had two hits, two RBI’s and a run. Sam Warren had two hits and two RBI’s. Ryan Jessen contributed two hits and an RBI. Nate Charles, Nick Cook and Cole Zesiger added to the hit parade with one hit each. Defensively, against the Padres, Redwood’s infield was the real deal, preventing runs with outstanding play from Robbie Wilson, Zack Gordon, Haiden Jones, Nick Cook and Ryan Jessen. Maxim Kawashima, Jackson Bender and Jeremy Sellier pitched for the Giants, giving up just six hits. But the victory in Napa was just the second to last stop before the boys could secure the MCAL Championship. They had to face Marin Catholic on their home turf.
Friday night, Cinco De Mayo, Redwood squared off against the Wildcats for what essentially was the league championship. The Big Game is always tense, and this contest would not disappoint the large 
crowd. In the first, Jacob Klionsky singled to center. Jake Nordstrom would reach first base on catcher’s interference. Sam Warren connected with a single to left, loading the bases. Jack Morken drove the ball to third base, giving the defender the choice, and preventing the run. Jack Hake then stepped up and drove the ball to left, scoring Nordstrom and Warren (2-0, Redwood). With Morken at second, Nick Cook drove the ball to center, advancing Morken to third and Hake to second. Next, centerfielder, Jarod Robinow, laid down a bunt, scoring Morken from third to end the inning (3-0, Redwood).
MC would respond. A nice double play from Gordon to Cook to Morken gave the Giants some confidence. A three-run homerun took it away, notching the contest at three a-piece.
With the game tied, head coach, Billy Jack Ryan, made his move and handed the ball to sophomore Ace-Kyle Felder. In the end, that is all it would take. Felder was brilliant, going 6.2 innings, striking out 12 batters, conceding only three hits and one run. Felder helped his cause with two hits of his own. The Giants backed him up in the third inning, scoring three runs off hits from Jack Morken, Jarod Robinow and Robbie Wilson-who drove in two runs with a single to center (6-3, Redwood, after three).
MC picked up a run in the fifth inning, keeping the contest close at 6-4 with two innings to play. Nonetheless, Felder would clamp down on his opponents, keeping the boys in blue off the board. The Giants speedy center fielder, Jarod Robinow, would pad Redwood’s lead in the seventh by stealing home. With a three run lead, coach Ryan left the ball in Felder’s dominant hand, striking out the final batter looking. Final Score: 7-4, Giants.
With a current 2017 season record of 20 and 2, Redwood has earned and proven that they are the team to beat in the Bay Area, if not the State. With wins over Serra, Bishop O’Dowd, Casa Grande and Marin Catholic (twice), they are the very best at the JV level. The Giants conclude their season next Tuesday, May 9th, versus Drake High School. It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I sign off giving you the scoop on 2017’s MCAL Baseball Champions-The Giants!
Here’s a link to all of the pictures: http://www.jordanwarren.photography/p191648203
