April 24 a very eventful day for Napa Valley College baseball team
Photo: The 2026 Napa Valley College baseball team.
Courtesy photo
By MARTY JAMES
Friday, April 24, the last day of the regular season, was so very eventful for the Napa Valley College baseball team.
It was the season-ending game, with the Storm rallying for a 9-8 win over College of Marin-Kentfield, the Bay Valley Conference champion.
It marked a three-game sweep and also the fourth straight win for the Storm, who finished conference play in fifth place.
It was "Sophomore Day," with head coach Derek Mayer honoring the team's 12 sophomores later in the day.
"We just had a different energy about us" the last week of the season, Mayer said.
Napa Valley kept coming back against Marin, as the Storm was behind 4-0 in the first inning, 5-1 in the third inning, 6-3 in the sixth inning and 7-4 in the seventh inning, in the team's final game.
"You couldn't have asked for a better way to end a rough season, because we had the potential to do what we did at the end, throughout the year."
Ethan Boatman was 4-for-5 with a double and two runs scored and Myles Gray was 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored to lead Napa Valley in the season finale.
Blake Goen pitched very well in relief, throwing two shutout innings, striking out two and allowing two hits to earn the save.
Napa Valley took the lead, scoring five runs in the seventh inning.
"The boys just came out and battled every inning like it was the ninth inning, like we should have done all season," Mayer said recently at Storm Field. "I think it was a good representation of the team we should have been, being able to sweep the first-place team. I think that just shows what talent we did have, and unfortunately, we just didn't take advantage of it this year.
"But we have a strong nucleus coming back next year. So, I expect the hard lessons we learned this year to really be reflecting in our play next year."
There was a lot that went into the 2026 season, beginning with the overall volume of work that was turned in last fall.
One of the highlights was the production turned in by the Storm's offense. They compiled a .293 team batting average, .415 on-base percentage, and .390 slugging percentage.
They showed great speed, with 84 stolen bases.
They averaged 7.3 runs per game.
Eight players hit over .300 during the season. The Storm also hit for power, accounting for 70 doubles, 15 triples and 11 home runs. NVC was 9-8 at Storm Field.
"Our offensive philosophies really resonated with the offensive guys," said Mayer. "We utilize the small ball, and it played into the long ball later on in the season. We played a style of baseball that a lot of these guys coming in had never seen before. Offensively, we did a very good job this year."
Mayer said he spoke to the team after its 8-7 loss in 11 innings to Contra Costa College-San Pablo on April 16.
"It just came down to a focus and an intent to win. We didn't show it that day," he said.
"I think the loss against Contra Costa and the conversation I had with the team in the locker room, it really reinvigorated our focus and just our ability to compete with teams. I think we went into Marin with a hot, hot bat and a better mindset."
Because of rain and wet field conditions, Napa Valley (15-24 overall, 11-10 Bay Valley Conference) was not able to play its final two home games of the season at Storm Field. NVC was the home team for games against Marin, in Kentfield, on April 22 and 24. All three games of the series were played at Marin.
Napa Valley had only two errors over its last three games.
"I think that folded into our pitchers doing better, and then our offense coming up with the big hits when we needed it the most in that last series," said Mayer.
After returning home following the last game, Mayer presented plaques to the team's 12 sophomores during a team event at Fazerrati's Pizza, in Napa.
"It was definitely emotional," said Mayer, who is in his third year as the Storm's head coach. "It's tough, because I'm going to miss a lot of these guys. All these guys have a special place in my heart. I want the best for them and to see them all succeed in life. I'm happy to see these guys start to get some interest and move on with good statistics, and to feel good about their experience here."
With 40 players on the roster, it's one of the biggest teams Napa Valley has ever had. There was a tough stretch, where the Storm lost nine in a row during the nonconference season.
"I love this team. I think they came together. They bonded. They had a great camaraderie between them. It was a real pleasure to show up to the ballpark every day," said Mayer.
"When you have a good group of guys, you're happy to show up every day. I'm proud of everything they've accomplished and everything that they're going to accomplish. I'm excited to see kind of what this nucleus of guys can bring back for next year."
All-Bay Valley Conference selections
Four players were named to the All-Bay Valley Conference team for NVC.
"Each year, we've gotten more all-league guys and more wins," said Mayer.
Nico Velasquez, a freshman, was named first-team in the outfield
Myles Gray, a sophomore, was named first-team at first base.
Dylan Brown, a freshman, was selected second-team at utility.
Ian Ross, a freshman, was chosen second-team at pitcher.
Velasquez hit .355 with 39 hits, including nine doubles, two triples, a home run, and 25 RBIs in 32 games. He scored 30 runs, had five stolen bases. He had a .482 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage.
"There's so much more in him that he's just unaware of," said Mayer. "I think this next year he's going to finally showcase everything that he has.
"I told him in our exit meetings to just hyper-focus on getting better defensively, staying offensively strong, but to clean up the defense."
Mayer will be taking a look at Velasquez as the team's closer next year.
Gray had a big year, hitting .333 with 51 hits, including 15 doubles, three triples, three home runs, and driving in 37 runs, in 38 games. He scored 30 runs and had nine stolen bases. Gray compiled a .426 on-base percentage and .529 slugging percentage.
"Myles came to us as a catcher. He was going to be the fourth-string catcher. He approached us and was like, 'Coach, I'm willing to pitch. I'll go over to first (base). I'll do whatever it takes to get in the lineup,' " said Mayer. "We put him over at first base. His ground ball technique took a little bit of time, but once he figured out how to field ground balls, I think he's a Gold Glove first baseman. And then to just add the offense along with it, just makes him a very special story and a very special player for Napa."
Brown did it all for the Storm, hitting leadoff in the order, playing third base and shortstop, and also pitching in short relief.
In 39 games, he batted .323 with 50 hits, including four doubles, and 17 RBIs. He scored 35 runs and had 26 stolen bases. Brown also had a .446 on-base percentage and .348 slugging percentage.
As a pitcher, he was 1-1 with four saves in 10 appearances.
"He's a great athlete," said Mayer. "He was one of the top hitters in the league, and one of the top leadoff guys in the league, because of the amount of times he would get on base and then steal. For us to be able to rely on him late in the game, after playing shortstop and leading off, all game long, to go in the ninth inning and to close out a game in generally high-pressure situations, was huge. And for him to have his stoic ability at this level, at this point in his career, is something to speak to.
"With him having a full fall at shortstop, it's only going to make him a much better defender. His power, I think, next year will really start to shine through."
The plan, said Mayer, is to convert Brown into a starting pitcher next year.
Ross, a left-hander, went 4-5 in 12 appearances (all starts). He struck out 48 batters in 62 innings.
"I think as a freshman, he was just really unsure of himself in the beginning of the season. He did get stronger as the season went on. He definitely proved that he was worthy of being one of the best pitchers in the league," said Mayer.
Named as honorable mention All-Bay Valley for the Storm:
* Hibiki Kodama (.287 batting average, 41 hits, 20 RBIs, 25 runs scored, four stolen bases, .344 on-base percentage, .308 slugging percentage, 39 games played).
* Ethan Boatman (.330 batting average, 37 hits, seven doubles, 15 RBIs, 19 runs scored, nine stolen bases, .424 on-base percentage, .393 slugging percentage in 35 games played).
* Ryan Rice (.333 batting average, 28 hits, five doubles, two triples, 17 RBIs, 21 runs scored, five stolen bases, .464 on-base percentage, .440 slugging percentage in 24 games played).
NVC fall program begins in August
Napa Valley's fall baseball program starts Monday, August 31. The fall session will conclude the week before Christmas. After a break for the winter holidays, the Storm will return on Jan. 6 for its first official practice of the spring 2027 season.
* 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.