Nationally ranked Stoneman Douglas wins 15th straight
A potential pitchers’ duel turned into a blowout victory for Stoneman Douglas as the Eagles cruised to their 15th consecutive victory on Tuesday night.
The Eagles, who are ranked fourth in the nation by MaxPreps and 11th by Perfect Game, picked up an 11-1, run-rule win over American Heritage-Delray in Parkland, winning their 20th game of the season.
“There’s no selfishness; everybody’s all in,” Stoneman Douglas coach Todd Fitz-Gerald said. “Fifteen in a row — I didn’t even know that’s what it was. We just take it one game at a time. I don’t allow them to really look at social media or get caught up in the hype. You’re only as good as your last game. So this one’s done. Flush it down the toilet, and we come back to practice tomorrow and get better and get ready for next week.”
Eagles starter Chris Arroyo, who entered the game with an ERA below one, ran into early trouble, walking the bases loaded. But the junior left-hander got out of the jam, and his team’s offense repaid him for sending them to the plate.
The Stoneman Douglas offense jumped on the board in the first inning against Stallions starter Carsten Finnvold. Center fielder Roman Anthony and third baseman Gavin Conticello worked walks, and catcher Santiago Ordonez drove a run in with a single. Conticello scored on an error, and Nikko Benestad drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Ordonez, a junior Florida State commit, picked up a second RBI with another hit in the second inning, and the Eagles chased Finnvold, a Florida signee, from the game.
Arroyo had his own struggles, though, and Fitz-Gerald brought in sophomore Christian Rodriguez to relieve in him the third inning. Rodriguez occasionally lost the zone, but he pitched 2 ⅔ innings of scoreless relief.
“We feel like if we put up four runs, you’ve got to play catch up against our pitching staff,” Fitz-Gerald said. “That’s pretty tough to do.”
If scoring four runs against the Eagles is difficult, scoring double digits is even tougher — only one team, Cardinal Gibbons, has done that this season. Stoneman Douglas put the game away with a sevenrun fourth inning, giving the Eagles a 10-run lead.
Anthony got the scoring started in the fourth inning, hitting a two-run home run to put the Eagles up, 6-1.
“I saw a fastball a little bit up, but I put a good swing on it and I was ready for it in a hitter’s count,” Anthony said, “and that’s just where the ball landed.”
After Anthony’s home run, the flood gates opened. Grant McDonald drew a bases-loaded walk, Chris McKenna hit a two-run single and two more runs scored on an error. Rodriguez struck out the side in the top of the fifth, and the Eagles ended the game early.
“There’s not a weak out in that lineup,” Fitz-Gerald said. “You’ve got to pitch one through nine against us, I think. These guys are going to grind.”