Aviano’s Colin North struck out 12 batters and allowed only one hit and an unearned run in a 11-1 victory over Sigonella on Saturday, April 6, 2024, in a hazy day at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy – A year ago, the Aviano Saints lost a pool game during the DODEA European baseball championships to the Sigonella Jaguars and then had to play the heavily favored Naples Wildcats in the semifinals.
The Saints, who fell in that game 3-2 in extra innings in heartbreaking fashion, are looking to bypass such potential pitfalls this season. Saturday, they got a bit of revenge against the Jaguars by sweeping a doubleheader 11-1 and 10-4 to improve to 3-1 on the season.
That one loss? An 8-0 defeat to the Wildcats to open the season.
“Everyone’s still striving for them,” Aviano coach Martin Vasquez said of Naples, which the Saints host April 13.
Saturday’s opener was a lopsided affair, thanks to the dominance of Aviano senior Colin North. The right-hander struck out 12 batters in five innings, giving up one single, one walk and an unearned run.
“I’m just trying to do my part and put the ball in the right spot,” North said.
The Jaguars scored their only run when Blake Parker walked, stole second, stole third and crossed home plate when the throw to third went down the left field foul line.
After that, it was all Saints. Aviano scored six times in the bottom of the inning, keyed by a pair of hit batters, triples from Josh Barthold and Cristiano Peterson, five walks and Kamren Rotland’s run-scoring single.
The Saints scored five more times in the third thanks for four more walks and two bunts as the ball never left the infield.
“We’ve had a lot of new players come in,” Jaguars coach Carl Jorgensen said. “I lost half my team from last year. It’s going to take a while, but they’ll come together.”
Sigonella’s Chase Wise beats the ball to second base before Aviano shortstop Andrew Walker can tag him out Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano’s Cristiano Peterson gets set to connect with the ball in the Saints’ 11-1 victory over Sigonella on Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Levi Denton hurls a pitch toward the plate in the Sigonella Jaguars’ 11-1 loss to Aviano on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Sigonella’s Reagan Rosier gets set to toss the ball to third after fielding a grounder from the pitcher’s mound in the Jaguars’ 10-4 loss to Aviano on Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano’s Andrew Walker came in relief in the second game of a doubleheader with Sigonella on Saturday, April 6 2024, and picked up the victory by shutting out the Jaguars the final 21/3 innings. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)
The second game was closer, thanks in part to some sloppy play from Aviano. The Saints made three errors in the first two innings and the game was tied at 4-4. But Andrew Walker, making his debut on the mound after playing soccer for the school the two previous seasons, shut down the Sigonella offense - which again managed only a single hit. And the Saints scored three times in each the third and fourth innings to win going away.
North said he’s looking forward to playing the Wildcats again, especially with two starters missing Saturday set to return to action next weekend.
“We have a very talented team and we’d like to give them our best,” he said.
