American Majors blank Sonoma to advance to Section finals

Three Petaluma American Little League pitchers combined to shut out Sonoma and advance the Petalumans to the Section 1 Tournament championship game.|

Three Petaluma American pitchers combined for an 8-0 shutout over Sonoma Little League on Monday night under the lights to advance to the Nor-Cal Section 1 Major Division title game to be played at Centennial Park in Vacaville on Wednesday.

Both teams came into the second round with a victory to open the tournament. Petaluma held off Mill Valley, 6-3, on Sunday while Sonoma edged host Vacaville National, 7-6, in the tournament opener on Saturday.

The win by District 53 Champion Sonoma was a tight one that was won in comeback fashion in the late innings.

“Max Harrison came into the game in the middle innings when we were trailing and shut them down,” noted coach Donny Sebastiani.

With the Monday defeat, Sonoma returns to Vacaville this evening to face Mill Valley. Mill Valley defeated Antioch, 4-3, in the earlier Monday evening contest.

Wyatt Abramson continued to pitch very well for the Americans on Monday as he shut down Sonoma on only one hit over three innings to pick up the victory. A ground ball over the bag at first base for a single by Julian Brenek was the only safety off the fast-balling Abramson.

Petaluma jumped on Sonoma starter Nick Sebastiani for five unearned runs to blow the game open in the first inning. Three errors, including one in the outfield, help cause the downfall for Sebastiani.

Kalen Clemmens continued his hot hitting for the winning American club with a three-run fly ball homer over the right field fence in the rally. Clemmens and his team have now won six games in succession after dropping a decision to Petaluma Valley early in the District 35 Tournament. Clemmens scored three runs in the game.

Sebastiani should have fared better, but struggled with his command even though displaying a good curve ball. Pitches up in the zone with a full count were hammered by Clemmens and Nicky Gonzalez-Dachev. Gonzalez-Daschev doubled in a run in the first inning. It was his first of two doubles in the contest.

Left hander Austin Steeves and Clemmens closed out the game for Petaluma as the Americans limited Sonoma to three hits in the contest. Steeves struck out three batters.

Sebastiani got the loudest hit for Sonoma with a solid single pulled into left field.

Petaluma American added two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a bases-loaded double off the bench by Jeffery Rice.

The Americans turned in a quick double play in the third frame when the pitcher fielded a line drive hit to the box by Sam Denkin and quickly threw to first ahead of the retreating base runner.

Five errors crippled any comeback chances by the Sonoma club.

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