Petaluma bats back pitcher Jared Robison in 12-5 romp over Healdsburg

Not even a little drizzle could spoil the Petaluma High School hit parade Friday afternoon as the Trojans swatted aside a challenge from Healdsburg’s Greyhounds, 12-5.

Trojan senior Jared Robison, backed by a solid defense, pitched a workman-like six innings for the Trojans. He allowed four runs and seven hits. He didn’t strikeout a batter, but also didn’t walk anyone.

Two of the runs off the senior were unearned, the direct result of errors, but his teammates also backed him with several exception plays, including a classic double play from shortstop Logan Douglas to second baseman Drake Paretti to first baseman Ty Williams that halted a potential big inning for the Greyhounds in the fourth.

Lucas Dentoni gave up a run in relief in the seventh, but by then he was working on a substantial eight-run insurance policy. Douglas ended the mini threat with a running over-the shoulder grab of a problematic pop up by Healdsburg’s Jake Raffaini.

While the pitching was good, and the defense at times spectacular, Petaluma’s most impressive work was done with its bats. The Trojans had 12 hits in the game and every starter contributed something to the cause.

Leadoff hitter Luke Wheless was on base three times with two hits and an error. He scored three runs. Porter Slate singled, reached base twice and scored twice. Douglas doubled and singled and drove in four runs.

Nick Andrakin contributed to a five-run Petaluma third by being plunked by a pitch. Danny Marzo singled and scored two runs. He also smashed a hard line drive directly at the shortstop and was robbed of a hit by a diving snare by the Healdsburg center fielder.

Kempton Brandis singled twice and scored two runs. Connor Richardson singled twice, drove in a run and scored a run.

Williams singled in a run and drove in another with a sacrifice fly and Paretti reached base twice, once by being hit by a pitch, and scored two runs.

Petaluma broke the game open with two big bursts.

After Healdsburg had taken a one-run lead in the first when a dropped throw at the plate allowed a Hound runner to score on a fly ball, the Trojans made the tally insignificant with a six-run second inning.

Three of Petaluma’s five hits in the inning never left the infield but a belt by Douglas with the bases loaded certainly did. The drive split the Healdsburg left and center fielders and cleaned the sacks, pretty much deciding things right there.

The Trojans batted around in the third, scoring five more. Run-scoring hits came from Wheless and Douglas, who had four RBIs on the day, and Williams chipped in with a run-scoring sacrifice fly.

A Wheless double and Slate’s RBI single completed the Petaluma counting in the fifth as Trojan coach Paul Cochran began to clear his bench over the final three innings.

Healdsburg pecked away at Robison, scoring single runs in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings, but Robison made key pitches and the Trojan defense made key plays to prevent runs from becoming rallies.