Leghorns just miss state

In terms of wins and losses, it was a good year for the Petaluma Leghorns Senior American Legion baseball team. In terms of player development it was even better.

Petaluma finished with a 25-9 record, ending second in its league and missing advancement to the state tournament by a single game.

“It was a really good summer,” said coach Casey Gilroy after his 18th season directing an 18-player roster of 17-19 year olds. “Of course we’re disappointed we didn’t get to go to state, but we had a lot of great wins, and the losses came against some really good ball clubs.”

Petaluma needed one more win in the Area Tournament to reach the title game and a guaranteed advancement to the State Tournament, but was beaten by Fairfield, 6-5, a team it had already defeated three times this summer.

For Gilroy, wins and losses are only a part of what American Legion baseball is all about. “Winning is important,” he said, “but so is playing and getting better, and that doesn’t come without a lot of sacrifice and hard work.”

Gilroy doesn’t show players, or even know himself, statistics during the season. “It is not about chasing a number,” he said. “It is about being a better player day in and day out throughout the summer. Batting averages don’t mean anything to me. Learning how to be a high-average hitter is what is important.”

The Leghorn season is also about preparing players for the next step in their baseball careers, and showing them what the grind of every day baseball is all about. In high school the players compete in less than 30 games over a three-month season. The Leghorns play 34 games in 46 days.

Gilroy and coaches Paul Sequeira, Spencer Finkbohner and Jonathon Nadale also use their connections and experience to help find what the coach calls “the right fit” for the players once they graduate.

Playing so many games in such a short time span makes pitching a premium and just about everyone has to carry part of the load. “Pitching is the most difficult part,” said Gilroy. “Almost everyone on the roster has to help.”

Gilroy and pitching coach Nadale refuse to overwork pitchers. Most are limited to 75 pitches, although that is a flexible target depending on individual pitchers.

Among those taking the mound at different times during the season were Travis Morgan, a junior who was a mainstay for the Leghorns after pitching for the Casa Grande junior varsity in the spring; Joe Lampe, an infielder who gave the Leghorns some good innings; Broc Burleson, an outstanding Casa varsity pitcher who gave the Leghorns some good games when he was available; Matius Lipsie, a Petaluma High varsity pitcher with limited spring innings who became a workhorse for the Leghorns; Shane O’Malley a strong arm from Sonoma Valley High School; Parker Ruoff, a Casa Grande varsity standout who threw will for the Leghorns; Blake Buhrer, a Petaluma High varsity ace who threw well for the Leghorns; Jack Hill another good pitcher for the Casa Grande varsity; and Quintin Gago, a hard-throwing Casa Grande varsity hurler.

Jaymin Graveman, a Leghorn veteran from Sonoma Valley High School was perhaps the Leghorns’ best pitcher at the end of last season, but missed all of his spring season at Mendocino College with a shoulder injury and could be used only sparingly by the Leghorns as he rebuilt his arm strength.

As the season progressed, Petaluma pretty much settled into a starting lineup, although every player on the roster had to contribute as the season progressed.

Max Cerini, Casa Grande’s all-league outfielder, led off with Petaluma High’s own all-leaguer, Kempton Brandis, batting second. John Green, another Casa Grande all-leaguer who is bound for University of the Pacific this fall, hit third. The trio, with Green in left, Cerini in center and Brandis in right, also formed an outstanding defensive outer garden.

Hayden Klemenok, who made a major contribution to the Casa Grande High School North Bay League championship run after taking over at third base mid-way through the season, hit clean up. “He got better and better every game,” said Gilroy. “He understands the game.”

Another big hitter for the Leghorns was Petaluma High’s Nick Andrakin. A catcher for the Trojans, he played mostly at first base for the Leghorns, although he did work behind the plate at times. “He just wore the baseball out,” said Gilroy. “He was a clutch two-out hitter and had a ton of RBIs.”

Graveman hit behind Andrakin and played all over the field. “He played everywhere we asked him,” Gilroy said.

O’Malley, a Leghorn veteran batted seventh and played at both corner infield spots.

Logan Douglas, who was second in the voting for Sonoma County League Player of the Year for Petaluma High in the spring, was the shortstop and hit eighth. “Logan is a good player and he is going to keep getting better,” Gilroy observed. “He has the skill set to play at the next level.”

A surprise was Cameron Downing, who caught for the Casa junior varsity last spring. He was brought to Gilroy’s attention by former Petaluma High and University of California star Chad Krist, and earned his way into catching 26 games with Andrakin and Green also serving behind the plate.

Another major contributor to the Leghorn cause was Lampe, who was a factor in Casa Grande’s championship run. He provided strong infield defense, hit well and did his share of mound work. “He loves the game,” Gilroy said. “If he played basketball he would be called a gym rat. He’s a baseball rat.”

Max Handron, who played for the Sonoma Valley junior varsity as a sophomore, also helped along the way and figures to be a key Leghorn next summer.