By MARTY JAMES martyjames.sports@gmail.com

Zack Baird wasn't sure if he was ever going to play baseball again after graduating from Casa Grande High School-Petaluma in 2023.

He stepped away from the game and spent a year as an engineering intern at Keysight Technologies, Inc., in Santa Rosa.

"I took a year off from baseball," he said.

Realizing just how much he missed the game, Baird enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College and joined the Bear Cubs baseball program.

"I just missed the game, and I wanted to play again," he said.

Baird said he learned so much about baseball as a redshirt freshman at Santa Rosa last year.

"It was a really great year for me," he said. "I raised my baseball intelligence. I'm very thankful for the Santa Rosa program. I'm thankful for the Napa program, accepting me and welcoming me into their home."

Baird has played in 18 games so far for Napa Valley College, showing he has some big-time power at plate, with a .486 slugging percentage and .491 on-base percentage.

"I've been feeling really good lately. I have my whole team behind me, and they're really supportive. I've been seeing the ball well and I've been hitting the ball well. I'm really glad to have this group of guys here to support me," said Baird, a transfer from Santa Rosa JC.

Baird hit a two-run home run in the top of the fourth inning in Napa Valley's 22-7 loss to host Yuba College-Marysville in the second game of a three-game Bay Valley Conference series on March 12.

Baird did it again, this time in dramatic walk-off fashion, belting a game-winning, three-run home run, capping a six-run ninth-inning rally, as Napa Valley came from behind to beat Yuba, 16-14, in the third and final game of the series on Friday, March 13 at Storm Field.

"I saw a different intensity out of (Baird) today in batting practice. I told him before the game started, 'You're going to be my monster off the bench.' And sure enough, it happened," said Storm head coach Derek Mayer.

Baird came through big-time for the Storm in the ninth inning, unloading on an 0-1 fastball with one out and two runners on, sending it over the left-field fence – a towering, majestic home run, giving Napa Valley a win that was so very exhilarating.

"We had our had a big bopper on the bench. We knew he was seeing the ball well," said Mayer. "This moment, he will remember forever."

Napa Valley (6-15 overall, 2-1 Bay Valley Conference) was behind in the game, 14-10, going into the bottom of the ninth inning. That's when a fireworks show happened – centered around quality at-bats, hitting, aggressive base running.

Hibiki Kodama reached on a single, highlighting an outstanding 5-for-5 day at the plate, and later scored on a wild pitch.

Ethan Boatman was hit by a pitch and scored when Dylan Brown reached base on an infield error.

Myles Gray singled, driving in Brown, making it just a one-run game.

Nico Velasquez, who walked, and Gray both scored on Baird's home run, igniting a team-wide celebration at the home plate area of Storm Field.

Baird entered the game as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning.

"I knew I had a job to do. I saw a fastball in the strike zone and I just did what I was supposed to do with it," Baird said. "I saw an inside fastball, and I just went with it. I felt that thing off the bat, and I saw my teammates jumping over the fence as I rounded first. I got all of that.

"My coach, Robbie (Wright), always says, 'You're trying to pass the stick. You're trying to do a job.' So right there, I just did my job."

Baird's teammates were there to greet him, dousing him with water – a joyous victory celebration that had fans standing and cheering.

"It's just such an incredible experience to hit a walk-off in a game like that, to win a series," said Baird. "To round third base and see my teammates there waiting for me was just so great.

"I got everything. I got my jersey ripped off. I got sprayed with water. I got tackled. I'll do it over again any day of the week."

It was a day of ups and downs for the Storm.

By scoring three runs in the second, third and fourth innings, Napa Valley took a 9-3 lead.

Ian Ross started and pitched well, going five innings and holding Yuba (11-10 overall, 1-2 Bay Valley Conference) to four runs (three earned).

Bobby Caine pitched well in relief, retiring six straight batters to get the win.

Ben Menard hit a home run in the second inning.

Leading the Storm's 15-hit offense was Kodama, Menard and Velasquez, each with multiple-hit games.

"We approach every inning like the ninth inning. That's our mentality, and I think it's gotten us comfortable in these late innings, because in the past couple of weeks, we've just been able to continue to produce in the seventh, eighth and ninth inning," said Mayer.

"When the pressure seems to mount for other teams, it seems to be normal for us. It was a show of their heart."

Kodama had a big day, getting five hits, driving in three runs and scoring two runs, helping NVC to a 6-2 record at Storm Field.

"I was just trying to compete," said Kodama. "Huge win. We never give up. So, let's keep doing this. Win the series every time."

Said Mayer: "He showed what he can do today. He performed really well."

Velasquez was 3-for-5 with a double and four runs scored.

Menard was 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored.

"Menard has been pretty consistent with his approach. That first (at-bat), we went up with a plan. We talked a little bit in batting practice about what he should do, kind of keeping his head and his eyes a little bit more stable. And sure enough, he gets the pitch to hit, and he tattoos the thing, and it really swung the momentum in our dugout," said Mayer.

Also, with hits for the Storm:

Dylan Brown, 1-for-4, run scored; Myles Gray, 1-for-5, two runs scored, RBI; Ryan Rice, 1-for-4, run scored; Ethan Boatman, 1-for-4, double, run scored, two RBIs.

"Every inning's a ninth inning. We have a philosophy of pass the bat when we get into those two-out ninth-inning situations. The whole objective is just to pass the bat to the next guy," said Mayer.

"The resiliency of this team is something to be cherished. I think they have an understanding, too, that when our pitching is not getting outs, they've got to step up and continue to keep us in the game."

In the second inning, Velasquez singled and Menard homered over the left-field fence. Boatman reached on an RBI fielder's choice, with Rice scoring.

In the third inning, it was Kodama with an RBI single that scored Menard, Devan McMinn scoring on an infield error, and Boatman's RBI double plating Kodama.

In the fourth inning, it was Gray scoring on an RBI single by Menard, and Kodama's two-run single plating Menard and Velasquez.

In the sixth inning, it was Velasquez scoring when Rice reached on an infield error.

"Today was the day that that we needed to prove something because of how we lost (Thursday). I think we did a great job. We came out and we put up nine runs. Unfortunately, we gave up one big inning," said Mayer.

Yuba got back into the game with an eight-run sixth inning. Yuba was ahead 12-10 in the sixth inning and 14-10 in the ninth inning.

"Our defense was kind of lacking the reps on the field early on in the season, but that's something that should get ironed out as we play more and more into this league," said Mayer.

Ross gave up eight hits, walked three and struck out five, while facing 24 batters and throwing 99 pitches, in five innings.

"Ian Ross did a great job. He set the tone for us and executed our game plan. It worked out," said Mayer.

Jacob Lane and Haden Stephen pitched in relief.

Caine pitched two shutout innings and did not allow a hit while facing six batters.

"Bobby Caine came in and kept us in the game. For him to just keep us in the game and just giving us a chance, we were able to take advantage of it," said Mayer. Temperatures were in the low-70's with light winds and partly cloudy skies.

NVC continues its season at Mendocino College-Ukiah on Tuesday, March 17 at 2 p.m. It's the first game of a three-game series.

NVC is at home to face Mendocino on Thursday, March 19 at 2 p.m. at Storm Field.

"We're a scrappy team. Never count us out in any of our games," said Baird. "We're a really great team. We have really high goals."

* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022