Leghorns battle for state tourney spot

The Leghorns go into the Area 1 Tournament this week in Redding with a chance to earn a trip to the State Tournament.|

It’s down to one tournament to determine if the Petaluma Leghorns American Legion baseball team’s season is a good one or a great one.

The Leghorns go into the Area 1 Tournament this week in Redding with a chance to turn a league championship season into something special - a trip to the State Tournament.

It won’t be easy. There are eight teams in the Area Tournament and only the winner is assured of advancing to the State Tournament to be played at the Veterans Home in Yountville.

Petaluma earned the South Area’s No. 1 seed by winning its league with a 10-2 record. The Leghorns were schedule to open Area play Wednesday against Oroville. Results of that game were not available at press time.

Teams in the tournament are Chico, Shasta, Eureka and Oroville from the North Division and the Leghorns, Yolo, Fairfield and Yuba-Sutter from the South Division.

To win the South and enter the Area Tournament as the No. 1 seed was quite an accomplishment for the Leghorns, who were 8-8 on the season after losing six straight games in the Josh Anderson Tournament in Reno in late June. Since coming back from Reno, they won 10 of 13 games, including a crucial sweep of West Sacramento in their final two regular-season games last weekend. They enter the playoffs with an 18-11 record.

“We had opportunities to have a little bit stronger season,” says Leghorn coach Casey Gilroy. “We didn’t play the consistent defense we need to play, but we hit and pitched well enough to win our league and get the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. When we play good defense we’re a pretty good ball club.”

The Leghorns will pitch St. Vincent High School graduate Dominic Pedersen in the opening game against Oroville and follow up with Jaymin Graveman from Rancho Cotate in the second game, saving their most consistent pitcher, Sean McElroy from Justin-Siena High School, for what they hope will be a meeting of undefeated teams on Friday.

“We’re rolling the dice a little bit,” says Gilroy. Casa Grande’s Nick Bostow will be in relief. “Dom has been pitching very well and I think him and Nick are good enough to win,” Gilroy says.

Leghorn hitting hasn’t been overpowering, but it has been pretty consistent, sparked by Petaluma High School graduate Luke Wheless at the top of the order. “Luke has had a fantastic summer,” says Gilroy. “He has been great setting things up as the leadoff hitter.”

Two of Wheless’ Leghorn teammates, both of whom return to the Trojans next spring - Kempton Brandis and Logan Douglas - have also hit well for the Leghorns.

Sonoma Valley’s Maclean Meyn leads the team with seven home runs.

Others who have provided hitting include Casa Grande’s Haden Klemenok and Brian Kolodin and Sonoma Valley’s Carson Snyder.

“There are some very good teams in the playoffs, but we are going to go out and compete and see what happens,” says Gilroy.

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