Max Stassi goes yard in final game at home

Max Stassi tipped his cap toward the cheering fans that have watched him progress from a talented underclassmen to a blue chip Major League Baseball prospect.

He hugged his father, accepted a souvenir bat along with the nine other seniors on the Yuba City High baseball team and hung around Winship Field long after the game had ended to shake hands with adults and sign baseballs for wide-eyed children.

After four years of stellar baseball, Max Stassi has played his final home game as a Honker. And the catching dynamo made the most of it by blasting a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning in a 7-2 Yuba City win over River Valley in last game before the start of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs.

"I had a blast, it was a lot of fun," he said. "I have to thank the fans that gave me so much support, not one person in this town ever said 'give up.'"

Of course, the Honkers (24-3, 12-1) still have the postseason, which start on Wednesday at Dan McAuliffe Field in Sacramento. Yuba City will face El Camino at 7 p.m. in a bid for their third straight section title.

River Valley (15-10, 10-5-1) was also slated to be heading to the playoffs, but the first postseason in the program's history may be in danger. The Appeal-Democrat learned late Friday night that the Falcons playoff berth could be revoked due to a possible rule infraction, a source close to the situation said.

Falcons coach Todd Artist declined to comment, saying he can provide more details today. When asked about his team's strategy in the postseason, the coach said he is "not sure yet about Wednesday"

The Woodland High baseball team (18-10, 10-6), which finished behind River Valley in the standings, is planning to practice today and is readying a postseason pitching rotation, said Bruce Burton, who reported on the situation for the Woodland Daily Democrat.

On Friday, the Falcons led off the game with four consecutive hits and plated two runs against Honkers' starter Hunter Graves. Cody Miller started the game with a ground-rule double and was brought in by a single from Jamie Bonnenfant, who used a Cameron Pankey double to cross the plate.

After Pankey's hit, Stassi went to the mound to have a quick chat with Graves, who was also playing in his last home game as a Honker. Afterward, he got the next three Falcons out and didn't give up a run over the rest of his four-inning tenure.

"(Max) said, Calm down, you're doing you job," he said. "I was real excited because it was a Friday night. It always takes me an inning to get dialed in."

Having your team answer back the way the Honkers did also helps.

Kevin Noall led off with a single after digging an 0-2 pitch out of the dirt and sending it up the middle. Then came Stassi, whose blast flew out of the yard and eventually landed on the roof of Honker Stadium's locker room past the center field fence.

Graves and James Haymore drew walks and were brought in by Jake Stassi and Walker Shaw, who also scored to make it a six-run inning for Yuba City.

"I was just happy we answered right back," Yuba City coach Jim Stassi said of his son's homer. "It kind of took the win out of their sails and then we went on to put a six spot on them."

Noall was 2-for-4 and Miller was 2-for-3 for the Falcons. Max Stassi finished 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout, which was an exciting moment for River Valley pitcher Alex Pino, who looked strong after the tumultuous first.

"He was really happy about striking out Max," Artist said. "It made his year."

The Yuba City junior varsity team won 5-3. Tyler Olson was the winning pitcher for the Honkers. Colin Gault was 2-for-3 with a double and Zack Wills was 2-for-2 for River Valley.