Vero Beach 8
East Lake 5
The Vero Beach Fightin' Indians captured the 2018 FHSI Showcase championship with an 8-5 win over the East Lake Eagles on Friday night.
East Lake struck first with an RBI single from Konnor Stine in the top of the first inning. The lead held until the bottom of the second when KC Swords laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Dylan Dean.
Vero Beach padded their lead in the third inning. David Luethje singled to lead off the inning. He then stole second base to get into scoring position. He then showcased the wheels again by stealing third. Hunter Cooley then lifted a ball to right field allowing Luethje to tag and score.
After a scoreless fourth, Vero Beach blew the game open in the fifth. Brendan Vasquez walked, followed by a single from Cooley. Pete Holden then stepped up and delivered a single of his own to load the bases. Ben Yurigan took advantage, roping a double to the gap that scored two. Dylan Dean then followed with an RBI single. Finally Gage Brackett capped off the scoring with a two-run base hit of his own, giving Vero Beach a 7-1 lead.
East Lake wasn't ready to go down without a fight. With one out in the sixth, Kyle Ericson, Blake Amicone, and Parker Opie all singled to load the bases. Wilbur Vargas then drew a walk to score a run. He was followed by Paul Phillips whose triple to the right field corner cleared the bases and made the score 7-5. Peter Holden would enter the game in relief, and strike out the last two batters to quell the threat. Vero Beach then added one back in the bottom of the sixth to make the final of 8-5.
Nick Celidonio took home the win with 5.1 innings of work. He scattered nine hits and allowed three runs while striking out five. Holden earned the save, striking out four of the five batters he saw in the game. Hunter Cooley led the offense with three hits and two driven in.
Other Game Notes
Hialeah Educational Academy 5
Dunedin 0
The Story:
The Bulldogs blew open a tight game in the sixth inning, ending the week with a 2-2 mark.
The Big Inning:
With one out in the sixth, Chris Mendez drew a walk. Pinch-hitter Brandon Puig then roped a single up the middle to put two men on. After a flyout to center, Hialeah added some valuable insurance to their lead. Singles by Carlos Castillo and Andres Mendez, as well as a double from Emilio Ferrer led to four runs in the inning.
Top Performers:
D. Mendez (HIA): CG, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K
E. Ferrer (HIA): 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI
L. Fisher (DUN): 2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Lakes 13
Cooper City 4
The Story:
After falling behind early, the Lakes Eagles put on an offensive display, pounding out eleven hits en route to their big win over Cooper City.
The Big Inning:
The Eagles had outbursts of three in the third, five in the fifth and four in the sixth. In their final at bat of the day, Logan McCann and EJ Roncone got things going with a pair of singles. After moving up a base each on a wild pitch, McCann was driven in by Andrew Gaetano. Joseph Glassy then followed with an RBI groundout. Joe Serpiello then put icing on the cake with a home run to left field.
Top Performers:
L. Hanson (LAK): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
J. Serpiello (LAK): 3-5, 2 2B, HR, 3 R, RBI, SB
E. Roncone (LAK): 2-2, 2 R, RBI
Somerset Academy 5
Buchholz 2
The Story:
A monster start from Max Baldaccini helped the Somerset Panthers end their week of play on a high note with a 5-2 win.
The Big Inning:
If we are talking offense, it was in the fourth when Bryan Loriga and Michael Laguardia each recorded RBI singles. But the real story was Baldaccini's domination of the Bobcats' lineup. He allowed one hit ... a triple in the 5th ... but otherwise cruised to the win.
Top Performers:
M. Baldaccini (SA): CG, 7 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 10 K
B. Loriga (SA): 2-4, R, RBI
Westfield 5
Strongsville 2
The Story:
The Westfield Bulldogs are headed back to Virginia with a 2-2 record in the FHSI Showcase after picking up a win on Friday morning at Sanford Stadium.
The Big Inning:
Westfield was trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the third. With one out and one on, Nick Lottchea laid down a sacrifice bunt. Strongsville's pitcher fielded it, but threw it away, allowing Travis Blee to come around. A Russ Steinhilber single put men on the corners. Derek Furr then drove in both Lottchea and Steinhilber with a single of his own. A suicide squeeze bunt from Nick DiVecchia capped the scoring for the Bulldogs at four runs in the inning.
Top Performers:
D. Leo (WHS): CG, 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 K
M. Bush (SHS): 1.1 IP, 4 K
D. Furr (WHS): 1-2, R, 2 RBI
Southwest Miami 5
IMG Academy Gray 4
The Story:
Southwest Miami outlasted the IMG Ascenders in extra innings, capping off a 2-2 week at the FHSI.
The Big Inning:
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead by scoring two in the third inning. Lorenzo Hernandez singled and then stole second base. An ensuing single from Osmandy Hernandez scored Lorenzo. After two outs were recorded, Danny Cruz copied Lorenzo, with a single and steal. He was brought in on a single from Erick Mondelo. In the ninth, Jordan Worley scored the game winning run on a groundout from Erick Orbeta.
Top Performers:
M. Garcia (SWM): 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K
D. Murgo (IMG): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K
T. Mitchell (IMG): 2-3, 2 BB
James Madison 7
St. John's CountrA y Day 3
The Story:
The James Madison Warhawks capped off a perfect trip to Florida, winning their fourth game of the week on Friday morning.
The Big Inning:
The Warhawks grabbed an early lead that they would not relinquish.
Lake Braddock 5
Westminster Christian 4
The Story:
A late rally in the fifth inning led the Lake Braddock Bruins to a comeback win on Friday morning over Westminster Christian.
The Big Inning:
The Bruins were trailing 4-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Will Reid, Connor Walsh and Grant Hartman each hit singles to start the inning, with Hartman driving in Reid. A pitching change didn't help as Walsh soon scored on a wild pitch. Jack Darcy and Lyle Miller-Green then each added sac fly RBI to the scoreboard, making it 5-4. The Bruins then called on Rojo Prairie to close things out, which he did, with two scoreless innings of work.
Top Performers:
W. Reid (LB): 2-3, 2B, R, RBI
RJ Ibanez (WC): 1-2, R, 2 BB, 2 SB
R. Prairie (LB): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Gainesville 6
Miami Palmetto 2
The Story:
The Gainesville Hurricanes established the lead early and did not let up, taking home their second win of the week over Miami Palmetto on Friday afternoon.
The Big Inning:
Well-timed hitting and sloppy defense from Palmetto allowed the Hurricanes to score four in the third inning. With one out, Luke Matthews was awarded first base on catcher's interference. The next batter, Zeb Marquis singled, and an error allowed Matthews to score. Luke Marquis then delivered a single of his own to score his brother. Chase Demichele and Ryan Ealy followed with singles as well to load the bases. Palmetto looked like they may get out of the inning with a ground ball to short, but an errant throw allowed two more runs to come across, giving Gainesville a 6-0 lead.
Top Performers:
C. Demichele (GHS): 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K; 2-3, R, 2B, 2 SB
L. Marquis (GHS): 2-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI
D. Aburto (MIA): 2-2, R, SB
Pompano Beach 8
Taravella 3
The Story:
It took an extra inning, but the Pompano Beach Golden Tornadoes were able to put away the Taravella Trojans in the 3rd place game of the FHSI Showcase.
The Big Inning:
After a back and forth ballgame saw both teams score three runs in regulation, Pompano Beach was able to score five in the extra frame. They only had two hits in the inning ... a two-run double from Matt Stephenson and an RBI single from Jake Nord ... but manahed to score two additional runs in the inning thanks to three hit by pitches and two walks,
Top Performers:
M. Schuler (PB): 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
J. Acker (TV): 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
D. Quintero (TV): 1-2, 2B, R, 2 RBI
M. Stephenson (PB): 1-1, 2B, R, 2 RBI; 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K