Casa Grande rallies past Windsor in early-season baseball clash

The Gauchos scored four runs in the 6th inning to defeat the Jaguars in a battle of North Bay powers.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 2:22pm

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In an early-season matchup between two of the North Bay's top high school baseball teams, Casa Grande rallied for four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat visiting Windsor 6-4. The Gauchos, led by senior Jack Mountanos, sophomore Tyler Pelissetti, and junior Adam Mercado, overcame a 3-2 deficit with timely hitting and strong pitching to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Why it matters

This game showcased the depth and resilience of the Casa Grande program, which has established itself as a perennial powerhouse in the North Bay despite graduating several key players from last year's team. The win also highlighted the competitive nature of the early-season schedule, as both teams have faced tough opponents to prepare for their respective league play.

The details

Casa Grande fell behind 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning, but rallied with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. Mountanos, Pelissetti, and Dooley all had key hits in the decisive rally. Mercado, the younger brother of former Gauchos star Danny Mercado, struck out nine batters over five innings on the mound for Casa Grande.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, March 12, 2026.
  • Casa Grande improved to 3-1 on the season with the win.

The players

Casa Grande

A perennial high school baseball powerhouse program in the North Bay region.

Windsor

A top high school baseball team in the North Bay that was facing Casa Grande in an early-season matchup.

Jack Mountanos

A senior at Casa Grande who contributed a triple, a go-ahead double, and a save on the mound to lead the Gauchos to victory.

Tyler Pelissetti

A sophomore at Casa Grande who hit a key two-run double in the sixth inning to break the game open for the Gauchos.

Adam Mercado

A junior at Casa Grande who struck out nine batters over five innings of work on the mound for the Gauchos.

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What they’re saying

“We always try to schedule tough in the preseason to see where we're at and we learned a lot about ourselves today. We know that we're resilient and that we can bounce back and that stuff, hopefully, is contagious and we can keep rolling. Great win against a really quality program.”

— Pete Sikora, Casa Grande head coach (pressdemocrat.com)

“We practiced really hard this week on situational hitting and I think that's what really helped us. Our coaches told us that two-out hits really kill teams and I think you saw it there, that's what happened.”

— Jack Mountanos (pressdemocrat.com)

“I'm a firm believer in what we got is what we got. The Saturday 14-inning marathon wasn't ideal and it definitely made us have to do some different things, but it gave us a chance to see some guys that we might need down the road and they competed. That's all you can ask for as a coach.”

— Ryan England, Windsor head coach (pressdemocrat.com)

What’s next

Casa Grande will host Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep on Saturday, March 15, 2026, before welcoming Cardinal Newman to town on Tuesday, March 18, 2026. Windsor will begin North Bay League-Oak play at Maria Carrillo on Saturday, March 15, 2026, before defending its title in the Montgomery's A.L. Rabinovitz Tournament that runs Tuesday and Wednesday, March 18-19, 2026.

The takeaway

This early-season clash between two of the North Bay's top high school baseball programs showcased the depth, resilience, and competitive nature of both teams as they prepare for the challenges of league play and the postseason. Casa Grande's ability to rally late and get contributions from across its roster highlighted the program's continued excellence, while Windsor's tough early-season schedule has prepared them to compete at a high level despite some key absences.