The calendar says March, but the atmosphere at Seawolf Diamond felt more like mid-May as the Noma club baseball team welcomed Sacramento State Hornets baseball for a three-game series under perfect spring conditions. While the Hornets ultimately took the series, the weekend featured an important milestone for Sonoma State: the Seawolves earned their first win of the spring season.
Players on both sides came into the series eager for competitive baseball, including team treasurer and pitcher Nino Balistreri, who spoke about playing against Sacramento State.
“I feel good and confident playing against a team like Sac State because they moved into our conference this past year,” Balistreri said. “I’m very excited to play a conference team like them.”
The series also drew strong support from local fans, something that did not go unnoticed by the players. Outfielder Mikai James said the team appreciates the community showing up to watch them compete.
“I feel like this school needs to recognize that we play with grit and parity,” James said. “Once we put runs on the board, we’re more likely to start rolling and be really entertaining to watch.”
James also emphasized how much the team values the support from the stands.
“When we come out to play, I personally love how supportive the community is to come out and watch us,” James said.
During Saturday’s seven-inning doubleheader, the Hornets allowed four runs while scoring a combined 11 across both games. Despite the losses, the Seawolves kept each matchup within reach but were unable to capitalize on key opportunities.
Sunday’s nine-inning finale told a different story.
Sonoma State finally broke through, defeating Sacramento State 3-1 to secure its first victory of the spring after an eight-game losing streak. The win gave the Seawolves a much-needed boost of confidence heading into the rest of the season.
While Sacramento State walked away with the series win, Sunday’s result showed what the Seawolves are capable of when everything comes together. After weeks of searching for their first victory, the breakthrough may be exactly what the team needed moving forward.
