By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Derek Mayer is going about honoring the sophomores on the Napa Valley College baseball team a little bit differently this year. Instead of a traditional “Sophomore Day,” prior to the Storm’s final home game, Mayer and his staff will take time to recognize those players at a team event, following the regular season, on May 3.
“We'll have a ‘Sophomore Day’ next Friday, to celebrate the guys putting in all the hard work over the past couple of years. It will be a nice catered party to send them off to their next destination,” said Mayer, who’s in his first year as the Storm’s head coach.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Napa Valley College concluded its 2024 spring baseball season on Friday, falling to host Solano Community College in a Bay Valley Conference game, 21-2, in Fairfield.
Joseph Guttmann had a school-record 12 RBIs during an outstanding 5-for-5 performance at the plate that included two home runs, a triple, two doubles and five runs scored, powering Solano in a season-ending Bay Valley series.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Owen Nelson hit a home run and was among four players for the Napa Valley College baseball team with two hits each, but the Storm lost on Tuesday to host Solano Community College, 10-7, in 10 innings in Fairfield.
Napa Valley (9-26 overall, 8-11 Bay Valley Conference), which has now lost four in a row, tied the game in the seventh inning, 6-6, on Nelson’s two-run home run.
The Storm went ahead in the eighth inning, 7-6.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
There is a lot that Napa Valley College is playing for as it enters the final week of its 2024 spring baseball season.
There are all the positives and bright spots that first-year coach Derek Mayer will be looking to see the Storm try and attain.
There is a three-game losing streak that the Storm will be looking to erase.
There are five days for the Storm to continue putting in all the work they possibly can.
There is a season-ending series against Solano Community College that starts on Tuesday in Fairfield.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Napa Valley College’s baseball team was held to six hits and was shut out on Thursday, as the Storm fell on the road to Laney College, 5-0, in the second game of a Bay Valley Conference series in Oakland.
In dropping its second game in a row, the Storm (9-24 overall, 8-9 Bay Valley Conference) also committed three errors.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Jorge Lopez-Rios had three hits and Owen Nelson and Forrest Kistner each had two hits for the Napa Valley College baseball team, but the Storm lost to Laney College-Oakland, 10-7, in the first game of a Bay Valley Conference series on Tuesday.
Lopez-Rios was 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and scored a run.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Napa Valley College was held to one hit and was shut out as the Storm lost the first game of a Bay Valley Conference baseball series to College of Marin on Tuesday, March 26, in Kentfield, 9-0.
It was the second loss in a row for Napa Valley (6-17 overall, 5-2 Bay Valley Conference), which committed three errors and left three runners on base.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Napa Valley College had its five-game winning streak end as it fell at home to Yuba College-Marysville in the third and final game of a Bay Valley Conference baseball series, 18-8, at Storm Field on Thursday.
Napa Valley (6-16 overall, 5-1 Bay Valley Conference) was ahead, 4-2 in the first inning, but could not hang on, as Yuba’s offense produced 21 hits, with five home runs, three doubles and a triple.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
All season long, Napa Valley College has been on the road, traveling to play each of its nonconference games, on account of heavy rains during the winter that led to unplayable conditions at its ball park, Storm Field. This continued for Napa Valley, with the Storm also playing its first four games of the Bay Valley Conference season away from home.
Everything changed on Wednesday, with Napa Valley finally returning to Storm Field, for its home opener.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College baseball team opened a Bay Valley Conference series on Tuesday, beating host Yuba College, 13-11, in 10 innings in Marysville.
It was the fourth win in a row for the Storm (5-15 overall, 4-0 Bay Valley Conference), which swept a three-game series from Contra Costa College-San Pablo last week.
Napa Valley was behind early in the game against Yuba, trailing 4-0 in the third inning and 5-2 in the fourth inning.
Napa Valley was also behind later in the game, trailing 9-5 in the sixth inning and 10-7 in the seventh inning.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Raisean Avila-Dorsey hit a home run and Vincent Lencioni had two hits for the Napa Valley College baseball team, but the Storm lost, 9-2, to Los Medanos College in Pittsburg on Tuesday.
Napa Valley (1-13 overall) trailed 2-0 after five innings. The Storm scored its first run in the sixth inning and scored its only other run in the seventh inning. The Storm was held to five hits, struck out 14 times, and committed three errors.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College baseball team picked up its first win of the 2024 season on Saturday, March 2, coming from behind and beating host Cosumnes River College, 6-5, in Sacramento.
Napa Valley (1-12 overall) was behind 3-0 in the fifth inning and 4-0 in the seventh inning.
But the Storm rallied, scoring its first run of the game in the eighth inning, followed by a five-run ninth inning, to give Derek Mayer his first win as Napa Valley’s head coach.
“In the end, in the ninth inning, it was pretty cool,” said Mayer. “It was definitely a joyous moment.”
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College baseball team continued its season, with nonconference games against Sierra College-Rocklin and De Anza College-Cupertino. A look at the most recent games:
* In a game on Feb. 20, in Rocklin, the Storm lost 12-4 to Sierra.
Napa Valley struck out 12 times, left four runners on base, and was charged with two errors. Sierra scored four runs in the first inning, one run in the third inning, and seven runs in the seventh inning.
Napa Valley’s top hitters were William Tokar, who was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs; Christian Hernandez, who was 2-for-3 with a double; Peyton McGowen, who was 1-for-4 with a double; Vincent Lencioni, who was 1-for-4 with an RBI; Cole Van Stone, who was 1-for-3; and Owen Nelson, who had an RBI.
It was a special night for Napa Valley College’s Raekwon Bell and Ethan Williams.
The two were honored on “Sophomore Night” in a pregame ceremony Tuesday. Joined by their families, they were introduced by head coach Steve Ball and were presented with action photos of themselves.
Bell, a 6-foot-3 forward, scored 14 points, including 4-of-4 free-throw shooting.
Williams, a 6-5 forward, scored eight points, going 2-of-2 at the free-throw line.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College baseball team is still looking for its first win of the 2024 season.
In recent nonconference games, the Storm lost to Chabot College-Hayward, 15-5; Modesto Junior College, 14-5; West Hills Coalinga, 9-0; Ohlone College-Fremont, 13-1; and Lassen Community College-Susanville, 11-1, in a game played at College of Marin-Kentfield.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Napa Valley College was held to one hit as the Storm lost its nonconference baseball game to host Gavilan College, 7-0, in Gilroy on Saturday, Feb. 3.
William Tokar had the Storn’s only hit of the day.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Each day, on his way to work as the Social Media Manager for the Oakland Roots Sports Club, Mario Cendejas takes time to think about his journey in life – including his years at Napa Valley College and also Napa Valley 1839 FC, a men’s semi-pro soccer team.
For Cendejas, there is a lot to reflect on – which goes back to getting his start as a photo intern with Napa Valley 1839 FC and then taking on more and more duties, such as sports marketing and videography.
“Despite having to leave home and working in my backyard, had it not been for 1839 FC, I don't think I would be where I'm at now,” Cendejas said, recently. “And that's why, on my way to Oakland, my commute during the week, it’s a time of reflection for me. I get to reflect and realize how much I've accomplished. I had no idea where I was going with this. But now, I've gotten somewhere.”
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College baseball team lost its second straight game to start the 2024 season, falling 18-5 to host Modesto Junior College in a nonconference game on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
Modesto scored its runs in bunches – including four runs in the second inning, seven runs in the third inning, three runs in the sixth inning, three runs in the eighth inning.
Napa Valley (0-2 overall) was charged with five errors and left 14 runners on base.
NVC pitching gave up 16 earned runs and walked 13 batters.
Modesto had six extra-base hits and left 11 runners on base.
The Storm scored its first run of the game when Connor Ray had an RBI single up the middle in the first inning.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
The Napa Valley College baseball team lost its 2024 season opener, falling 8-1 to host Modesto Junior College in a nonconference game on Friday, Jan. 26.
Shortstop Jorge Lopez-Rios led the Storm, going 3-for-4 and scoring the team’s only run of the game.
Kyle Worden also did a very good job in relief, throwing six innings and allowing only three hits and one run (earned).
A seven-run second inning for Modesto, keyed by a two-run single by Landon Nunes and a two-run double by Logan Hart, was the difference.
By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com
Coach Steve Ball saw some areas that he liked in the second half of the Napa Valley College men’s basketball team’s game against Yuba College-Marysville, the Bay Valley Conference’s first-place team, on Wednesday night.
It’s the way that the Storm played – combining high-level energy and becoming more and more aggressive. It’s the way that the Storm worked – getting to the free-throw line.
It’s the way that Jerard Jackson is playing – knocking down four 3-pointers.
There is so much that Derek Mayer has gotten done since taking over as Napa Valley College’s head baseball coach last summer.
There are the four assistant coaches that he has named to his staff: Robbie Wright; Wright’s father, Bobby Wright, who earned All-America honors at San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo; Dave Enochson; and Ken Mayer, Derek’s father.
NVC baseball to honor sophomores at team event, following regular season
April 29, 2024By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com Derek Mayer is going about honoring the sophomores on the Napa Valley College baseball team a little bit differently this year. Instead of a traditional “Sophomore Day,” prior to the Storm’s final home game, Mayer and his staff will take time to recognize those players at a team event, following the regular season, on May 3. “We'll have a ‘Sophomore Day’ next Friday, to celebrate the guys putting in all the hard work over the past couple of years. It will be a nice catered party to send them off to their next destination,” said Mayer, who’s in his first year as the Storm’s head coach.
