Steal Breeze ends with two tourney triumphs

The Petaluma Steal Breeze under-16 softball team finished its remarkable summer season in top form while cementing its position as a premier team in California by claiming consecutive championships over the past two weekends.

After a runner-up finish in the Silver bracket over the Fourth of July weekend at the USSSA State Championship at the Twin Creeks softball complex in Sunnyvale, the Breeze took a weekend off before returning to action to claim the championship trophy at the Nicole Matson Memorial Tournament in Rohnert Park, and then finishing its highly successful two-year run by winning the ASA Summer Slam tournament at Incline Village this past weekend.

After a disappointing and uncharacteristic 1–2 pool-play record in Rohnert Park two weeks ago, the Breeze caught fire to rattle off eight consecutive tournament victories, storm its way to consecutive tournament championships and finish the year with a record of 22–12 with a tie.

The pitching duties were shared equally throughout the summer with Petaluma High’s Jess Delaney and Casa Grande’s Kayleigh Hart and Shelby Foakes complementing one another. Each pitcher recorded at least six wins and a save on the season and the trio did some of its best work in the usually offense-friendly high altitude of Incline Village.

Hart’s drop ball proved too much for the San Jose Thunder in Saturday’s pool play as she led the Breeze to a 3-2 victory. Not shy with the bat, Hart’s booming double, one of her many extra base hits on the season, also drove in a key run. Delaney then stepped forward and used her repertoire of pitches to limit the Nevada Wild Cats to two earned runs in the Breeze’s lopsided, 17–3 victory. The Breeze finished at 3–0 on Saturday by beating the Central Valley TNT, with Foakes and Hart combining to pitch for the win. Foakes continued her fine weekend work on Sunday, spotting her pitches with precision in the championship game as she limited the hard hitting El Dorado Hills Rush to three runs in the Steal Breeze’s, 10–3 victory.

Helping out the Breeze staff later in the season, the team was fortunate to be able to add 17-year-old Hannah Sarlatte of St. Vincent’s for the last two weeks of their season since those tournaments combined under-16 and under-18 teams. Sarlatte, a High School All-Empire selection, made a quick impact for the Breeze in Rohnert Park by recording a win and two saves on the weekend. Sarlatte’s save in the nail-biting championship game was as tough as they come. Pitching on fumes, she induced two infield pop ups in a bases loaded situation in final inning, leaving the Rohnert Park Rebellions’ potential winning run standing on second base and the tying run just 60 feet away at third base as the Breeze celebrated their hard-earned victory. Sarlatte’s bat also helped with several hits, including a home run and double in Rohnert Park.

While the pitching was excellent of late in the season, the Steal Breeze offense helped the cause by slugging for 81 runs over their recent eight-game winning streak. Petaluma High’s Sonoma County League All-Leaguer Cassie Baddeley put forth an all-tournament performance by not only playing a great defensive center field, but also by blasting two home runs, two triples and two doubles among her 10 hits. Fellow All-Empire, All-SCL selection and Trojan teammate Miranda Swanson also played fantastic on both sides of the ball. Swanson put on a blocking clinic as catcher, while continuing her summer of slugging. Swanson crushed six doubles over the past weekend, including two in the championship game. Swanson’s performance over the July Fourth weekend was also one for the ages, as she blasted four home runs and had seven total extra base hits.

The entire Steal Breeze roster had clutch moments offensively and defensively over the summer. Trojan Paulina Binsfeld was utility player extraordinaire as she logged all-star quality defensive innings in the outfield, third base, and second base while batting over .400 for the summer. Joining Binsfeld in the over .400 club for the summer were Baddeley (.530), Swanson (.580), fellow T-Girl Emily Corda, and hard-hitting Gaucho shortstop Sarah Mills. Corda’s solid shortstop play was also a defensive highlight for the Steal Breeze.

With a team batting average well over .300, the rest of the players were all clutch performers both offensively and defensively at one time or another. Key contributions came from Gaucho Ashley Yee and St. Vincent Mustang Olivia Sikora. Both played steady outfield defense over the summer season. Yee’s versatility as a bunter and solid hitter helped the team on multiple occasions, with her clutch double in the Rohnert Park tournament championship game sparking the game-winning rally and leading to Delaney’s go-ahead double. Sikora’s bat also proved to be an asset for the offense as she chipped in six hits over her last few games.

Trojans Lauren Gallagher and Emily DeCarli were also steady offensive contributors all year long. Gallagher and DeCarli had key hits in the Breeze’s final championship game, including Gallagher’s bases-clearing double in the first inning to set the tone for the game. Gallagher added another RBI shot later in the game while DeCarli’s two hits led to two runs for the Breeze. Gallagher’s grand slam on Saturday helped spark a rout of Nevada in pool play.

The Breeze’s line-up showed power from top to bottom with Baddeley, Binsfeld, Corda, Delaney, Gallagher, Hart, Mills, Sarlatte and Swanson all blasting home runs on the season.

Fellow Trojans Grace Slembrouck and Kayla Beaton both helped the winning Breeze season when they participated as guest players at times over the summer.

Although injured for the season, Mustang All-Empire selection Mary Cerf’s inspiring presence was felt in the Steal Breeze dugout throughout the season.

On the season, the Steal Breeze proved to be the best under-16 team at tournaments in Napa, Sacramento, Rohnert Park, and Incline Village. The Breeze beat teams from Eureka through the Central Valley to San Diego and from Nevada.

Over the past two seasons, the Breeze has made the semifinals or better in 10 of 12 tournaments, made the championship game in eight of 12 tournaments, and has brought four championship trophies back to the Steal Breeze program’s ever growing trophy room.

Coach Mike Baddeley, who is now ending a 20-year coaching career spanning youth basketball, Little League, and PGSA, stated, “These past two years have been some of the most rewarding of my coaching career. I’m so proud to have been associated with these fine ladies. Each of the players found a way to help the team succeed.”

Manager Pete Sikora added, “It has been a privilege to have been affiliated with these outstanding young ladies and their families these past two years. What a run. Life-long relationships and memories have been formed. It’s going to be so much fun watching these ladies lead their high school programs next year and, more importantly, to watch their academic, professional and family successes that await them all in the years to come.”