By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com

Nine players for the Napa Valley College baseball team had at least one hit and the Storm was ahead 5-1 in the fifth inning of its game against Solano Community College in Fairfield on Thursday.

But the Storm left 11 runners on base and could not hold on, losing 10-7 to Solano in the second game of a season-ending Bay Valley Conference series.

The loss is the fifth straight for Napa Valley (9-29 overall, 8-12 Bay Valley Conference).

Napa Valley is in sixth place in the conference standings with one game to go during the regular season.

Solano (17-21 overall, 9-11 Bay Valley) scored four runs in the fifth inning, tying the game, 5-5.

The Falcons went ahead, scoring two runs in the sixth inning, to take a 7-5 lead.

Solano scored three runs in the seventh inning.

Jaden Hunter's 2-for-3 day at the plate led Napa Valley. Hunter also scored a run.

With one hit each was:

Marcellus Cueva, 1-for-5; Myles Gray, 1-for-4, double, two runs scored; Wyatt Smith, 1-for-4, RBI, run scored; Owen Nelson, 1-for-1, double, RBI; Gilbert O'Connor, 1-for-3, run scored; Hibiki Kodama, 1-for-3; Connor Ulm, 1-for-1; and Ethan Boatman, 1-for-2, run scored, two RBIs.

Roy Hernandez started for the Storm and pitched five innings, facing 25 batters, and giving up five hits and five runs (all earned). He struck out four, walked three and hit one batter.

Shinra Saka took the loss after pitching in relief, going one inning, facing seven batters, and allowing three hits and two runs (both earned). Saka walked one batter.

Also, pitching in relief was Joel Gapusan, who allowed one hit and three runs (all earned), with two walks, in one-third of an inning. Gapusan faced four batters.

Working in relief also was Nick Paulson, who faced seven batters in 1 2/3 shutout innings. Paulson gave up three hits and struck out one.

Shosei Tatsuno and Ethan Boatman each had a stolen base.

Tatsuno scored in the first inning on a double play ground ball.

Boatman scored in the third inning when Wyatt Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Boatman's single to right field drove in Hunter in the fourth inning.

In the fifth inning, Myles Gray scored on batter's interference and Wyatt Smith scored on a wild pitch.

Gilbert O'Connor scored in the seventh inning on a bases-loaded walk to Ethan Boatman.

Nelson's double to left-center field in the eighth inning drove in Myles Gray.

Matteo Copp had a big day for Solano, going 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored.

Bryce Alcantara was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.

Cayne Hill was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI.

Also, with hits for Solano, which is tied for fourth place in the conference standings: Cameron Taylor, 1-for-5; Rolando Ramos, 1-for-4; Mason Sayre, 1-for-3; Tyler Chalk, 1-for-5, double.

Copp's two-run home run in the sixth inning was to left-center field.

Napa Valley closes out its regular-season schedule on Friday by facing Solano in Game 3 of the series at Storm Field at 1 p.m.

* 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.