Summer baseball report: Prune Packers clinch top seed for upcoming league championship

Healdsburg Prune Packers (18-2 PEL, 29-3 overall)

The Packers, on another long winning streak, just locked up the top seed for the upcoming inaugural Pacific Empire League Championship series at the end of the month.

Following their July 4 loss, the Packers won eight straight heading into Tuesday night’s first game of a three-game series at the Humboldt Crabs.

The Packers swept the second-place Lincoln Potters to improve to 18-2 in the PEL and lock up the top seed for the postseason. The PEL Championship will be a best-of-three series running July 30-Aug 2 with Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) hosted at Healdsburg’s Rec Park. The first game will be at the site of the No. 2 seed.

Joey Kramer (Washington State) had another outstanding offensive week, going 10-for-19 with two doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs. He leads the team in batting average (.416), home runs (13) and RBIs (36).

Other offensive standouts were Michigan’s Cole Caruso (8-for-15, five runs), San Jose State’s Robbie Hamchuck (7-for-18, two doubles, two home runs, five RBIs), Alabama’s Camden Hayslip (7-for-21, two doubles, two home runs, eights RBIs) and UC San Diego’s Alex Leopard (5-for-10, double, home run, five RBIs).

Recent results (* = league game)

Healdsburg 9, Lincoln Potters 4*

Healdsburg 14, Lincoln Potters 0*

Healdsburg 8, Lincoln Potters 3*

Healdsburg 12, West Coast Kings Black 2

Healdsburg 13, Menlo Legacy 6

Upcoming schedule (* = league game)

Weds: Healdsburg at Humboldt Crabs, Arcata Ballpark, 7 p.m.*

Thurs: Healdsburg at Humboldt Crabs, Arcata Ballpark, 7 p.m.*

Fri: Healdsburg vs. West Coast King Black, Rec Park, 6 p.m.

Sat: Healdsburg vs. Solano Mudcats, Rec Park, 6 p.m.*

Sun: Healdsburg vs. West Coat Kings, Rec Park, 12:30 p.m.*

Mon: No game

Tues: Healdsburg at Lincoln Potters, McBean Field, 6:35 p.m.*

Sonoma Stompers (14-13 CCLN, 23-16 overall)

The Stompers cooled off after ripping off their longest winning streak of the summer the other week, dropping four of their six games last week. Their two wins were each by just one run.

Despite the cold stretch, the Stompers remain in second place of the California Collegiate League North Division heading into a few off days to start this week for the CCL Showcase in Southern California.

The Stompers had six players selected for the game: Trent Abel (Cal State Northridge), Destin Allen-Fox (Cal State Northridge), Dylan Goff (Cal State Fullerton), Alijah Ramos (Cal State Fullerton), Bryant Thorton (Oklahoma Baptist) and Hawk Hill (Cumberland).

The Stompers head into the break after dropping three of their last four games, including Sunday’s 17-2 drubbing by the first-place Walnut Creek Crawdads.

Offensive standouts last week were Abel (8-for-20, double, home run, six RBIs), Cal State Fullerton’s Tyler Holley (double, three RBIs), Cal State Fullerton’s Paul Contreras (home run, four RBIs) and Santa Clara’s Jack Lazark (two home runs, two RBIs).

Goff also turned in the best pitching outing of the week, striking out six with three hits and two runs allowed in 4⅔ innings in the Stompers’ 8-7 win over Alameda.

Recent results (* = league game)

Alameda Merchants 5, Sonoma 1*

Sonoma 5, Menlo Park Legends 4*

San Francisco Seagulls 7, Sonoma 5*

Walnut Creek Crawdads 6, Sonoma 4*

Sonoma 8, Alameda Merchants 7*

Walnut Creek Crawdads 17, Sonoma 2*

Upcoming schedule (* = league game)

Weds: No game

Thurs: No game

Fri: Sonoma vs. Alameda Merchants, Arnold Field, 6:05 p.m.*

Sat: Sonoma vs. Walnut Creek Crawdads, Arnold Field, 6:05 p.m.*

Sun: Sonoma at Walnut Creek Crawdads, Monte Vista HS, 4 p.m.*

Mon: No game

Tues: Sonoma at San Francisco Seagulls, San Bruno, 6:05 p.m.*

Petaluma Athletic Edge Express (6-13)

It was a quiet week that featured just one game for Athletic Edge Express, a 14-12 win over the NorCal Warriors that saw 22 of the 26 total runs scored over the final four innings.

Athletic Edge Express led start to finish and were ahead 10-0 after the top of the sixth.

Athletic Edge Express had 16 players record at least one hit and finished with 19 total for the game.

Mario Zarco hit a three-run home run, Larks Kristensen doubled twice with three RBIs, Nick Andrews recorded a pair of doubles and Jeff Page added two hits and two runs.

Recent results

Athletic Edge Express 14, NorCal Warriors 12

Upcoming schedule

Weds: No game

Thurs: No game

Fri: Athletic Edge Express at Santa Rosa Baseball (doubleheader), SRJC, 4 p.m.

Sat: No game

Sun: No game

Mon: No game

Tues: Athletic Edge Express at Medford Rogues, 6:35 p.m.

Y ou can reach Staff Writer Gus Morris at 707-304-9372 or gus.morris@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @JustGusPD.