MAJORS SECTION TOURNAMENT: Petaluma National finally runs out of magic

The magic finally failed the Petaluma National Major League All Stars in the Little League Section 1 Tournament played at the Rincon Valley complex in Santa Rosa.

It seemed that every time the Petalumans got into trouble in their first three section tournament games, some player would wave a magic wand and the ball would jump over the fence for a game-tying or game-winning home run.

In their fourth game last week, with tournament life on the line, the Nationals waved the wand five times, but when it was needed most, the magic was missing as the Petalumans lost to Vacavile Central Little League, 11-10, in the tournament’s final game.

The result sent Vacaville Central to the Northern California Championship Tournament and Petaluma National players on vacation with collective possession of the District 35 championship banner and memories of an exciting 2-2 Section Tournament run, with three of the four games decided by a single run.

As they did in each of the four games, the Nationals refused to quit, rallying from an 11-5 deficit to cut the Vacaville advantage to a single run with a four-run uprising in the fifth inning.

That rally benefited from a Wyatt Davis blast that propelled a baseball far over the right-field fence with two teammates on base.

The big left Petaluma still a run short of even. It was a run they couldn’t beg, borrow or steal in the final inning.

Petaluma National started the game with a bang when lead-off hitter Mark Wolbert belted the first pitch he saw into the bright stratosphere way over the outfield fence.

Three batters and two outs later, his teammates, Nick Kelly and Rocco Palmini slugged back-to-back dingers with Kelly’s homer plating three runs.

By the time the dust had settled in the opening inning, the Nationals had five runs and life was good.

It quickly turned sour.

One out into the second inning, Vacaville Central’s Mike Osterstedt slammed a two-run homer that opened the gates to one of the biggest innings in a tournament of big innings. Before the onslaught was completed, Vacaville had received two more homers – back to back shots by Conner Malone and Logan Piper – sent 13 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs.

The game was shaping up to be a no-holds barred slugfest.

But as abruptly as the run spigot opened, a pair of crafty left handers turned it off.

Wolbert came on to get the last out of the wild inning and stayed around to frustrate the Vacaville National batters over the next four innings. He gave up just two hits, walked one, hit one and struck out two, mostly inducing batters to hit harmless ground balls.

Meanwhile, Greg Ryan was equally effective for Fairfield. Taking the hill after Petaluma had tacked on a run and had no outs in the second inning, he quelled the rally with three strikeouts and went on to pitch scoreless baseball through the third and fourth innings.

Ryan fanned the first two Petaluma batters in the fifth inning, but then the Nationals worked their comeback magic, almost pulling a win out their hats.

Needing five runs to tie, the Petalumans almost got there.

Spencer Norman sailed a shot over the center field fence to start the fifth frame.

When Wolbert walked, Aidan Russell replaced Ryan on the mound and promptly waked Nate Zimmerman. Davis then slammed his moon shot high, high over the center field fence to score three runs and cut the Vacaville Central lead to 10-9.

It was as close as the Petalumans would get to continuing their season.

A comebacker ended the fifth inning. In the sixth, Russell walked a batter, but struck out three and the game, tournament and season were over for the Petaluma National Little League.

There were a multitude of heroes for the Nationals in their final game. Wolbert homered, singled, walked and scored three runs. Zimmerman singled twice, walked and scored twice. Davis singled, homered and drove in three runs. Kelly homered and drove in three runs. Palmini homered and walked. Norman started the fifth-inning rally with a home run.