爱酱视频

There was the offense that averaged 8.6 runs per game.

There were the .335 team batting average, .504 slugging percentage, .438 on-base percentage, and 17 home runs.

There was the standout pitching of Tanner Fonoti, a sophomore right-hander, who was 7-0 with five complete games and a 2.80 earned run average.

There was the winning record.

There was the seven-game win streak, from April 23 to May 7.

There was the 13-12 win on May 6 over Laney College-Oakland 鈥� accomplished in walk-off fashion, as Christopher Blyskal came through with an RBI single with two-out, capping a five-run ninth inning comeback.

In a shortened 20-game season, there were all kinds of highlights for this year鈥檚 爱酱视频 baseball team, which went 12-8 鈥� both overall and in the Bay Valley Conference.

鈥淲e had some great, intense end of the games,鈥� Storm head coach Dan Parker said. 鈥淲hatever the situation was, it seemed like no matter what, we had an opportunity. And we knew we were going to succeed in those opportunities, which is a really nice feeling for a coach.鈥�

There is a lot for Parker to feel good about, with 爱酱视频 opting in to play during the state鈥檚 Spring II season.

爱酱视频 was among 10 schools listed as 鈥渙thers鈥� in the California Community College Sports Information Association 2021 Final State Top 15 Baseball Rankings, released on June 10 on the California Community College Athletic Association鈥檚 website, www.cccaasports.org.

鈥淭his program is all about the kids,鈥� said Parker. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the buy-in. It鈥檚 the process of all of our guys getting opportunities.

鈥淚f we were at full strength and in a full season, I think it could have been a little bit more memorable. But nonetheless, all the guys that came back after this COVID year and did what they did is just phenomenal. I feel bad for teams that struggled this year, because it鈥檚 been tough. It鈥檚 been a tough year and a half.鈥�

Due to concerns over COVID-19, the CCCAA鈥檚 Board of Directors voted to cancel the remainder of the 2020 spring sports season in March of last year. The CCCAA is the state鈥檚 governing body for intercollegiate athletics within the California Community College System.

The Storm played its first game in more than a year on April 15, opening the 2021 season with an 11-6 victory over Contra Costa.

爱酱视频 ended its season by winning three of its last four games.

鈥淓verything just kind of clicked in terms of getting us all in the right frame of mind to succeed this year,鈥� said Parker. 鈥淭hey kind of all clicked together.

鈥淚t takes a while to turn a program the way a new coach wants it. I think this was the year that鈥檚 kind of the turning point. So hopefully, we can just add to it and continue our success next year.鈥�

The offense for 爱酱视频 was one of the bright spots.

鈥淎mazing,鈥� said Parker, when asked about the Storm鈥檚 hitting. There was big-time production up and down the order throughout the season, as the offense was led by:

• Austin Mattos: .444 batting average, four RBIs.
• Koby Sherwood: .394 batting average, five doubles, eight RBIs.
• Dominick 鈥淒.J.鈥� Pautin: .382 batting average, four doubles, 19 RBIs.
• Wyatt Dorman: .379 batting average, 10 doubles, 19 RBIs.
• John Adkins: .365 batting average, six doubles, 15 RBIs.
• Christopher Blyskal: .358 batting average, two home runs, five doubles, 15 RBIs.
• Derrick Robinson: .350 batting average, two RBIs.
• Andrew 鈥淎.J.鈥� McMahon: .348 batting average, six home runs, three doubles, 20 RBIs.
• Tony Diaz: .342 batting average, two home runs, four doubles, 15 RBIs.
• Bronson Wyman: 317 batting average, seven doubles, 10 RBIs.
• Cole Shafer: .273 batting average, three doubles, seven RBIs.
• Caleb Jeske: .259 batting average, two home runs, two triples, 22 RBIs

鈥淭here鈥檚 no one that could beat us when we鈥檙e at the plate 鈥� that鈥檚 kind of the mentality that we had,鈥� said Parker. 鈥淚t seemed like, in the past, we were able to scrape and score some runs, that helped us stay in games.

鈥淭his is not only a team that just scored and won games. We scored a lot of runs. We definitely ruined some ERAs, that鈥檚 for sure. It鈥檚 the mentality of us going and swinging the bat and making sure that every team, every pitcher knew that there weren鈥檛 going to be any cheap hits, that we were coming at you. Sometimes it put us in a bad situation, where we probably could have played for a run. But we also had a lot of games where we had big, huge innings.

鈥淥n the offensive end, I think we鈥檙e where we need to be.鈥�

The hitters worked with Todd Smith, a new assistant coach for 爱酱视频, during the season. Smith is a 1982 graduate of Hogan High School-Vallejo and was an outfielder in the Cleveland Indians鈥� and Pittsburgh Pirates鈥� minor league systems.

鈥淲e鈥檝e known each other for a while,鈥� said Parker. 鈥淗e did a great job. It鈥檚 great to have him.

鈥淚 knew once Todd had committed, I could put that trust in him. We think very similar. So there was never, ever any looking over his shoulder.

鈥淚 committed to him and he committed to the program. These players, they trust his personality and take on his knowledge and they soak it in.鈥�

Fonoti, who is out of Rodriguez High-Cordelia, had an exceptional season. In seven appearances (six starts), he gave up 43 hits and 14 runs (all earned), walked just nine and struck out 59 in 45 innings.

鈥淚t鈥檚 rare to have a guy that throws really hard and I think It鈥檚 hard to find a guy that can also keep batters off balance with that,鈥� said Parker. 鈥淥bviously, the better your fastball, the more effective your off-speed.鈥�

Fonoti was very effective throwing his fastball, changeup and slider. He tied for the state lead in wins for the season with seven, according to a report by the California Community College Sports Information Association on June 10. Bryce Armstrong of Butte-Oroville, Anthony Torres of Sequoias-Visalia and Cooper Vasquez of Ohlone-Fremont each had seven wins also.

鈥淭here鈥檚 too many weapons, I think, for him in terms of when you have to go face that guy. He learned how to pitch with all his pitches,鈥� said Parker. 鈥淗e can put every pitch wherever he wants.

鈥淚 think he鈥檚 got a good future ahead of him.鈥�

Parker is expecting Fonoti, Diaz and Shafer to transfer on to four-year colleges, continuing their careers in baseball.

鈥淭hese are three really special kids to me,鈥� said Parker. 鈥淭hey trusted me and didn鈥檛 leave. All three kids have done well academically, which is nice.鈥�

There are 22 freshmen on the 爱酱视频 roster. Parker said there will be a focus on pitching and defense, when the fall season starts in September and continues to late November.

鈥淲e are loyal to our guys, and we want to make sure that they succeed next year. We鈥檒l do everything we can to get them ready to succeed. We鈥檙e just really focused on the defense and pitching side of things next year, to complement our offense.鈥�

Erik Altemus, a right-hander, was 1-1 with a 5.96 ERA in six appearances (three starts).

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