Player of the Day
Luis Medina
Tampa Prep
3-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI
Pitcher of the Day
Cameron Schmidt
Taravella
CG, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 9 K
Bentonville 6
Winter Park 0
The Bentonville Tigers used a combination of efficient pitching and a powerful offense to blank the Winter Park Wildcats by a score of 6-0 on Monday morning.
Traveling from Bentonville, AR, the Tigers are the defending 5A state champions in Arkansas. Winter Park put them in a tough spot early, when they loaded the bases thanks to a hit by pitch, single and walk. Starter Carter Brown was able to bear down and induce a groundout and a flyout to escape the jam unscathed. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, that would be the theme of the day as they left twelve runners on base for the game. In the next half inning, the Tigers would get on the board thanks to an RBI single from Dalton Herrera.
The third and fourth innings were relatively calm for both sides before Bentonville struck again in the fifth. A singles from Herrera and Brown put two men on, and a Justin Hines double would score a run. Jacob Williams would follow with an RBI groundout, and Kam’ron Mays-Hunt would lay down a beautiful suicide squeeze to bring in a third run. Winter Park put two men on to start the fifth, but failed to score thanks to Brown’s pitching. A Kasey Ford double in the sixth would put one more run on the oard for the Tigers, making the 6-0 final.
Carter Brown threw five innings of scoreless, three-hit baseball to earn the win. Tyler Johnson fired the last two to close things out. Matt Bratspies, Dalton Herrera and Justin Hines had two hits apiece to power the Bentonville offense. Jaison Heard took the loss for Winter Park, giving up four runs in five innings. He led the team on offense however, going 2-4 at the plate.
University 7
Ponte Vedra 6
A back and forth battle saw the University Titans outlast the Ponte Vedra Sharks by a score of 7-6 in game two at Sanford Stadium on Monday.
Jacob Molle and Michael Harkcom recorded a pair of RBI singles in the first inning to give University an early lead. They added to it in the second when Nathan Peden drove in Jackson Roberts with a single of his own to make it 3-0. Ponte Vedra would answer back with a big inning in the bottom of the third. Eric Aleman stroked an RBI double that scored Jacob Young, while Jack Layrisson plated two with an RBI single. The Sharks would add a fourth run during the inning on a Jack Hahnemann groundout.
Cody Vandehey would tie the game for University in the top of the fourth with a single that brought in Jackson Roberts. Ponte Vedra quickly responded with two runs in the bottom half, thanks to another Young RBI single and a Zach Chappell sac fly, making it 6-4. After a quiet fifth inning, University would come storming back in the sixth.
Cameron Robinson started the inning with a single, and would score on a triple from Roberts. On the triple, an error by the first baseman allowed Roberts to score himself, tying the ballgame. Ponte Vedra made a pitching change and recorded two quick outs. University wasn’t done however, as Jimmy Neal’s double scored Nathan Peden, giving the Titans a 7-6 lead that they would not relinquish.
Sam Munsey earned the win for University, pitching 1.2 innings of shutout relief. Michael Harkcom earned the save with two innings of his own. Five Titans … Jimmy Neal, Logan Allen, Michael Harkcom, Cameron Robinson and Jackson Roberts … recorded two hits on the day. Quinton Brehm went 3-4, while Jacob Young was 2-3 with two runs and an RBI to pace the Sharks offense.
Tampa Prep 9
Seminole 4
A big second inning provided all the offense the Tampa Prep Terrapins would need in their 9-4 victory over Seminole High School on Monday morning.
An RBI double from Landon Schabes in the top of the first made it 1-0, but it was the second inning that would propel Tampa Prep to the win. After Jonny Corning scored on a wild pitch, to make it 2-0, three batters reached base for slugger Luis Medina. Medina would come through in a big way, launching the pitch over the fence for a grand slam. Schabes would add another run on a wild pitch, making the score 7-0.
Both teams would score later in the game, but the lead was too much to overcome for the Seminoles, who were playing on their home field. While both teams hit the ball well (12 hits for Tampa, 11 for Seminole) it was sloppy defense that made the biggest difference in the ballgame; Seminole had five errors while the Terrapins didn’t commit any.
Zach Brodsky picked up the win, throwing six innings and allowing four runs with five strikeouts. Jack Hope took the loss for Seminole despite giving up only two earned runs. Luis Medina led the Terrapin offense, going 3-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI. Matt Allan hit two bombs in the game, scoring twice and driving in three.
American Heritage 6
Seabreeze 1
The American Heritage Stallions jumped out to an early lead, and rode the back of starter Justin Barney to a 6-1 victory over Seabreeze on Monday.
A Jack Campbell double and a sac fly by Michael Marseca put two runs on the board early in the first inning. The game would remain at 2-0 until the fifth, when the Stallions struck again. This time Carmine Lane provided the pop with an RBI double of his own, followed by a Justin Barney single that scored Lane two batters later. Robert Bell would belt an RBI double of his own to cut the lead to 4-1 in the bottom half of the inning, but the Sand Crab offense would do no further damage on the day. The Stallions added two more runs in the seventh to reach the final count of 6-1.
Barney went five innings for Heritage, allowing one run on three hits. He struck four, and also helped himself out at the plate, going 2-4. Jack Campbell, Jason Fox and Chris Ferara also had two hits apiece for the Stallions.
University Christian 3
Leesburg 2
A back and forth slugfest ended with the University Christian Christians holding off the Leesburg Yellow Jackets by a score of 3-2.
After a scoreless first inning, Ryan Meister got things going for UC with an RBI double. Leesburg would answer quickly though, plating the tying run in the bottom half of the frame when Robert Ortiz scored on an error by the UC third baseman. Leesburg would then take the lead in the next inning on a single from Turner Long that scored DeAndre Seymour. The Christians response … four straight hits to start the next inning, including RBI doubles from Ryan Brooks and Cody Melton to give them a 3-2 lead that they would not relinquish.
Jeremy Peel went the distance for University Christian, firing seven innings of work. He gave up five hits and two earned runs (one earned) and struck out seven. His teammates helped on offense, showing both power (four doubles) and speed (six steals, including four from Gage Dixon). Robert Ortiz had two hits to lead the Leesburg attack.
IMG Academy 4
Winter Springs 0
The most anticipated matchup of the day featured two of the top starting pitchers in the state, Altoon Coleman (Winter Springs) and Greer Holston (IMG). Coleman is committed to Florida State while Holston will be an Ole Miss Rebel in the fall.
Both pitchers held the other team in check for the first two innings before IMG broke through with a run in the third, courtesy of a Tyler Esplin RBI double. Winter Springs would threaten in the fourth with two men on, but could not plate a run. Instead, IMG extended their lead in the bottom half on an Austin Bates sac fly. Collier Rutledge would knock in the final two runs of the game on a single in the fifth that scored Filip Smola and Andrew Flaherty.
Holston took the win after going an impressive five innings in which he allowed only three hits and two walks while striking out seven. Tyler Esplin K’d four in the final two frames to earn the save. He was also 1-2 at the dish with a double and an RBI. Brandon White was the leading hitter for the Bears with two hits and a steal.
Timber Creek 5
Royal Palm Beach 2
A late rally from the Timber Creek Wolves propelled them to a come from behind victory over the Royal Palm Beach Wildcats on Monday afternoon.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the third on an Isa Mamudoski groundout, Timber Creek gave up two runs in the bottom of the fourth due to an RBI groundout from Zach Retzler and a passed ball. Mamudoski would come through for the Wolves again in the 5th with a bases loaded sac fly to tie the game. They would take the lead in the sixth with a triple from Chris Vervoordt and would add two insurance runs in the seventh on RBIs from Zak Sousa and Parker Smith.
Preston Schumacher earned the win for the Wolves with 5.2 innings of work in which he allowed two hits and zero earned runs. Michael D’Emo recorded the last four outs in succession for the save. Cameron Meehan and Sousa each had three hits for Timber Creek while Troy Hamilton had a hit and a run for Royal Palm.
Smith Cotton 7
Olympia 5
The Smith Cotton Tigers (Missouri) showed no signs of travel lag as they put up a touchdown on Olympia Monday afternoon.
The Titans struck first when Jon Levin stroked an RBI double and Francis Villaman had a sac fly to put Olympia up 2-0 in the first. SC managed to get one run back in the bottom half on an RBI groundout from Nick Hagedorn. They would then tie the game in the bottom of the third inning on an attempted double steal when Jake McPhail scored before the runner at first was tagged out. Smith Cotton then blew the game open in the fifth inning, scoring four runs on three hits, two walks and a hit batter. Hagedorn, Chase Plymell, Baxter Mays and Jake Kindle all picked up an RBI in the inning. After Smith Cotton added another run in the sixth, Olympia made the game interesting by kicking a fieldgoal in the 9th to make the score 7-5. They would leave the tying runners on base however, giving Smith Cotton their first win of the week, 7-5.
Roberto Ramirez went the distance for Smith Cotton, throwing seven innings and scattering ten hits. He also racked up seven strikeouts. Plymell was 3-4 with a run and a RBI for the Tigers, while Joaquin Estrada paced the Titans, going 3-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI.
Jupiter 4
Lake Brantley 2
A battle of two top Florida programs saw the Jupiter Warriors outlast the Lake Brantley Patriots 4-2 on Monday afternoon.
It was the Patriots who jumped out to an early lead in the first when Jay Charleston scored on a groundout from Griffin Bernardo. The game would remain at 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when Jupiter’s bats found their way. A pair of RBI singles from Andrew Martinez and Blake Disher made it a 2-1 Jupiter advantage. Brantley would tie the game in the sixth when Paxton Rigby scored on a sac bunt from Connor McDonald. After Brandyn Ward led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple, he would score on a Mason Doolittle groundout. Jupiter would then add an insurance run through a Blake Disher single, making the game’s final score of 4-2.
Zach Sprankle took home the win for Jupiter after throwing 5.2 innings and giving up two runs on three hits. Brandyn Ward led the offense with a single, double and a triple at the plate. Paxton Rigby reached base twice and scored once for the Patriots.
Taravella 5
Boone 1
The Taravella offese struck early while Cameron Schmidt dealt on the mound to lead the Trojans to a 5-1 win over the Boone Braves.
A Brian Velez single scored the first run of the game in the opening frame before Taravella exploded for four runs in the second. Andrew Labosky, Henry Matias and Nik Sanders each picked up RBIs on base hits in the inning to give the Trojans a commanding 5-0 lead. Those runs were more than enough for Schmidt, who pitched all seven innings and allowed one run in the third. Schmidt struck out nine and walked two in his complete game effort. Matias was 2-3 with a run and two RBI and a steal to lead the offense.
Trinity Christian 5
Cooper City 2
Sam Brunnig carried a no hitter into the fifth inning, and the Eagles offense scored five runs en route to their Monday night win over Cooper City.
Brunnig started the offensive attack for the Eagles with an RBI single in the first. Spencer Taylor would score on an error and Danny Nugent would add an RBI single of his own to make it 3-0 Trinity heading into the bottom half. The Cowboys were able to get one run back thanks to three walks and an error. Brunnig would settle down after the first as he set down the next nine batters in a row. During that streak, his offense helped him out with two runs in the third, courtesy of a Trenton Brickhouse sac fly and Jacob Bowen single. A Devin Pole sac fly in the fifth would make the score 5-2, but Brunnig and Zach Coleman would shut down the Cowboy offense for the rest of the night as Trinity took the game 5-2.
Brunnig went six innings, giving up two hits and two runs while striking out four. He was also 2-3 with an RBI at the plate. Joshua Valencia and Ethan Shea scored the two runs for Cooper City.
Clewiston 4
Escambia 2
Sammy Rivera, Alex Mata and Colin Roth were a formidable trio on the mound for the Clewiston Tigers as they defeated the Escambia Gators 4-2 in the final game of Day 1.
Davis Witt got things going offensively in the bottom of the first with a bases loaded single that scored Roth and Rivera, who had reached on a single and hit by pitch, respectively. Escambia would fight back in the third with a rally of their own. Devin Davis had a bases loaded single, followed by Hunter Viets being hit by a pitch to tie the game at two. Alex Mata would come in to the game to quell the rally, which he did with a fielder’s choice groundout. Clewiston would add two more runs in the sixth thanks to a Mata RBI single and Weston Rayburn scoring on a heads up base running play. The 4-2 lead was then protected by Roth, who pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings.
Davis Witt was 2-3 with a run and two RBI to lead the Tiger offense. Mata and Roth combined to throw 4.1 innings of no hit baseball in relief. Each player had a hit offensively as well.
Tuesday’s schedule
Sanford Stadium
9:00 am Taravella vs. University Christian
11:30 am Winter Park vs. American Heritage
2:00 pm Seminole vs. Bentonville
4:30 pm Jupiter vs. Trinity Christian
7:00 pm Seabreeze vs. Tampa Prep
Lake Brantley
2:00 pm Cooper City vs. University
4:30 pm Ponte Vedra vs. Lake Brantley