Healdsburg Owls spook Oakville Aces, win 5-3

On a game played at dusk in "baseball weather" at , the Healdsburg Owls won their with a 5-3 victory over the visiting Oakdale Aces.

The game showcased two fine pitching performences by starters Brian Meyers of Healdsburg and the Aces’ Fred Valencia, but the tough line-up of the Owls scratched out enough hard-earned runs to send Valencia packing by the end of the 5th.

Valencia did some damage with the bat of his own, the burly pitcher sending a ball deep to center for a double in the third inning. But the run-producing hit stymied the Ace’s rally, putting a slow runner at second with one out, and the Owls focused on getting the next two to end the inning.

Over the next few innings the Owls added a run here, a run there, to mount a 5-2 lead by the ninth. Then it was time for the Aces to threaten, scoring a run and loading the bases. A fly-out to left ended the rally, the inning and the game.

Meyers, a recent addition to the Healdsburg team from a trade with Cloverdale, proved solid though most of his innings and came away with the win.

Once again the crowd in the stands was a disappointment, and the absence of food and beer vendors during the busy 4^th of July weekend didn’t help. But the 50 or so friends, family and fans who came to McCaffrey Park to see Wine Country Baseball were treated to another fine, well-played game by local talent.