MIDDLETOWN — Santa Rosa High School ace Gabe Cramer pitched four innings of no-hit ball and struck out nine as the Panthers spoiled Middletown”s season opener with a 5-1 victory on a damp and chilly Tuesday in Middletown.
The game was called because of rain in the top of the seventh with Santa Rosa batting.
Cramer, who is headed to Stanford next season, left the game with a 2-0 lead after four innings.
“He”s the real deal,” Middletown coach Mitch Tucker said of the hard-throwing right-hander. “I was a little scared going into this game with Cramer pitching, but I”m really proud of the way they took on the challenge,” Tucker added of his young roster. “They were pumped up to face him.”
Losing pitcher Kyle Brown, one of only three seniors on the team, turned in a solid five-inning effort, allowing five hits and three runs, two of which were earned. He struck out eight and walked two.
“Kyle kept the ball down all day and pitched well,” Tucker said.
Middletown”s only hit produced its only run as Brad Bologna, a sophomore, smacked a RBI double in the bottom of the sixth.
Michael Walker”s two-out home run to straightaway center field in the top of the first put Santa Rosa ahead to stay.
The Panthers, coached by former Clear Lake High School standout Paige Dumont, added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before adding two insurance runs in the top of the sixth against Middletown reliever Graham Brown.
Tucker has plenty of connections to the Santa Rosa team as his fianc?e”s son, junior infielder Chase Cianfichi, plays for the Panthers.
“He”s good friends with my son Jake,” Tucker said.
Jake Tucker, also a junior, plays first base for the Mustangs.
Cianfichi went 1-for-2 with a double and scored a run for Santa Rosa (1-1).
Middletown (0-1) returns to action Friday at Healdsburg at 5 p.m.
