By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Owen Schnaible is the iron man of the Napa Valley College baseball team.
He sure proved it on Thursday, in the team's final home game of the 2023 season at Storm Field.
Schnaible, a sophomore left-hander, made the start and pitched 10 innings in a no-decision. He threw 155 pitches. He kept Napa Valley, a fifth-place team, in the game, fielding his position so very, very well. He got great support from his defense.
"He's struggled the last couple of outings. But today, I noticed in the bullpen, he had his stuff," said Warren Brusstar, the Storm's pitching coach. "So, I knew today was going to be a good day for him."
In the final start of his two-year career for NVC, Schnaible was a workhorse, going out to the mound in sunny, 83-degree summer-like heat and effectively throwing four pitches – curveball, change-up, fastball, sinker – throughout the game.
"It feels good, definitely to come out here and at least give us a chance to win," he said.
College of Marin-Kentfield scored the tying run in the top of the ninth inning and the Mariners scored the winning run in the 11th inning to beat Napa Valley, 5-4.
It was Game 2 of a Bay Valley series between the two teams. The third and final game of the season-ending series is Friday, April 28 at 1 p.m. in Kentfield. College of Marin (23-16 overall, 16-4 Bay Valley) has won four in a row and is in second place. It's also the last game of the season for NVC.
"We'll just go out and make sure that we have some fun and play baseball the way it should be played," said head coach Dan Parker. "We're trying to get out and go have fun, come back next year and play baseball."
It was the fifth loss in a row for Napa Valley.
Schnaible gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits, walked three, struck out nine and hit one batter.
"All year, every start, he knows he only gets one a week. And he makes his strongest effort every single time. It's awesome to watch him pitch," said Parker.
"He's in really good shape. He worked hard during offseason to make sure he's able to do that."
Napa Valley (13-23 overall, 8-12 Bay Valley) took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning. With runners on second and third and two out, Marin tied it, scoring on a wild pitch. Schnaible struck out the last two batters of the inning.
He pitched a scoreless 10th inning, with Marin leaving a runner on second base.
"It wasn't my best control day, but I was just doing a lot better than I did last week against (Los Medanos College-Pittsburg). So, I was happy about that," said Schnaible.
"In the late innings, my curveball started picking up. My (change-up) was on today. That was my pitch today, so I was really happy. Because last week against LMC, I was struggling with all my pitches, just throwing strikes in general. So today, to come out here and throw strikes, it was a big weight lifted off my shoulders for sure."
The loss went to Angel Cota, who pitched the 11th inning and allowed a run. Aidan Janke had the game-winning hit, a one-out RBI single to right-center field that scored Jake Ferguson, who reached on a walk and advanced to second base on a balk.
Napa Valley turned a double play to end the inning.
Only two batters reached base over the last six innings for the Storm. The last 10 NVC batters were retired in order.
"We battle all year. Sometimes, things go our way. And sometimes they don't," said Parker.
Asked how he was feeling afterward, Schnaible said: "Not feeling anything right now, but (Friday) is going to be a hard wake-up, for sure."
He has enjoyed his two years in the NVC program.
"It was a home I never thought I would have. I didn't even plan on coming here out of high school. And I'm glad the decision happened. It was a learning experience. I'm just glad I came out here. I'm happy where I've been for the last two years," said Schnaible.
Brusstar was impressed with the way Schnaible changed speeds on his pitches.
"He pitched a good game," said Brusstar. "The last couple of outings, he hasn't had command of his fastball, so it makes it tougher to throw his off-speed pitches. He gets up in a zone and they hit it early in the count, so he can't get to his off-speed stuff."
Schnaible picked two runners off base, getting help from his defense.
"He's probably the best fielding pitcher I've ever had. He's quick off the mound and he throws them out at first. He's made some unbelievable plays off the mound," said Brusstar.
Schnaible wants to continue playing baseball and hopes to transfer to a four-year school.
"He can definitely pitch at the next level," said Brusstar.
College of Marin took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
In Napa Valley's three-run second inning, Calvin Snider had an RBI-double that scored Peyton McGowen, who singled. Tyler Crudo reached on an infield error and scored on a wild pitch. Snider also scored on a wild pitch, giving the Storm a 3-1 lead.
Marin tied it, 3-3, with a two-run third inning.
Napa Valley went ahead, 4-3 in the fourth inning, as Crudo reached on an infield error and later scored on a wild pitch.
NVC had five hits in the game.
The Storm was led by Forrest Kistner, who was 2-for-3.
Additional hits came from Raisean Avila-Dorsey, 1-for-5; McGowen, 1-for-3; and Snider, 1-for-3.
Napa Valley struck out 18 times against Marin pitching.
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.