Vacaville Eliminates EG, 7-3

After a season that featured lethal bats throughout the lineup, it was as though Elk Grove couldn't put two solid hits together at all during the Sac-Joaquin Section's Division I North tournament.

Monday in a consolation contest, the Herd faced a solid pitcher in Vacaville's Anthony Gonsolin and with the exception of Rowdy Tellez' booming 425-foot home run in the first inning, just couldn't muster an offensive attack and was eliminated by the Bulldogs, 7-3.

With Tellez pretty much sidelined except for designated hitter duties, Dom Nunez with a bit of a shoulder issue, Coach Jeff Carlson was pretty much left with having to pitch junior Mikey Wright against Vacaville. The Bulldogs got two sharp hits from Gonsolin and Elway Stanistevan to lead off the game and Wright walked a couple batters then fanned a pair to get out of a fix with just one run surrendered.



The Bulldogs then scored a couple more times in the second inning thanks to hits by Matt Smith, Gonsolin and Stanistevan. It was 3-1, Vacaville.

The Herd managed to tie the game at three in the third inning thanks to a pair of errors by the Bulldogs. After that, Elk Grove bats went silent as Gonsolin threw a two-hitter. Elk Grove had only two hits in last Thursday's playoff opening win against Napa and seven hits in Saturday's 9-1 loss to Franklin.

Vacaville chased Wright in the fourth inning after he hit a batter and walked the next man. An error by Nick Madrigal allowed one run to score. Relief pitcher Jordan Koch then walked in a run to make it 5-3, Bulldogs.

Stanistevan capped Vacaville's scoring with an opposite field two-run home run in the sixth inning off Dave Smith who came on to pitch in the fifth inning. Smith started the Thursday playoff opener by pitching a no-hitter.

Stanistevan led the Bulldog attack by going three-for-three and driving in four runs. The junior is named after former Denver Bronco quarterback John Elway, but doesn't play football. Gonsolin struck out six and walked four, intentionally passed Tellez twice in pitching a complete game.

The Bulldogs now face the loser of Tuesday's game between Franklin and Davis.