Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Douglas gets past Flanagan, 2-1
PEMBROKE PINES — Brandon Kaminer and Jeremy Cook will have plenty of time to pal around next year at the University of Miami, but on Tuesday night, each was trying to end the other’s high school career.
The two senior lefthanders — both Hurricanes signees who will soon be college roommates — dueled early in a Region 3-9A semifinal, but Kaminer outlasted Cook as Douglas topped Flanagan in a 2-1 road victory.
Kaminer (10-0) nearly threw a shutout. A throwing error on what would have been the final play of the game allowed a run to score, but he followed by getting Arrison Perez to line out to second to end it, pitching a complete game with one unearned run on six hits.
Cook gave up just one hit, but it was a costly one — a solo homer for Douglas’ cleanup hitter Spencer Dubay in the fourth. Striking out six, Cook left after four innings.
The Eagles (22-4), seeking their second trip to states, will host Jupiter in regional finals. Last year, they beat the Warriors 2-1 in Jupiter en route to their first state and national championship. — David Furones
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 3, ATLANTIC 2:
St. Thomas narrowly defeated Atlantic in Tuesday’s Region 4-8A semifinal, ending the Eagles’ sixgame win streak as well as their season.
The Raiders (22-5) struck first at the bottom of the first inning as senior Earl Semper scored off of a double by Chris Ruckdeschel. The Raiders put another score on the board at the bottom of the third as Semper’s sacrifice fly brought Andres Antonini home.
Atlantic battled back in the fourth as Max Charnin batted in Chris Reed.
St. Thomas widened the lead again in the fifth, when Ruckdeschel sent Chris Valencia home for his second RBI of the game.
The Raiders would get a score at the top of the seventh inning when Atlantic’s All-County pitcher Justin Varisco went yard to again close St. Thomas’ lead to just one point but the Eagles comeback fell short. St. Thomas did not allow another run.
St. Thomas will face district rival Nova on Tuesday. — Brandon Howard
JUPITER 6, PB CENTRAL 1:
Jupiter is heading to regional finals for the second straight year.
Behind a stellar outing from starter Zach Chivers and some timely hitting, the Warriors topped district rival Palm Beach Central in Wellington. Jupiter next week will face the winner of tonight’s southernmost regional semifinal between Douglas for a spot in the Class 9A final four.
Chivers pitched a complete game, allowing just one run on two hits. It was his second straight postseason win — the senior lefthander downed Park Vista in the regional quarterfinals.
“He’s a true bulldog,” Jupiter coach Andy Mook said. “He’s a guy who locates and he’s a true pitcher.”
Senior catcher Mason Doolittle led Jupiter (21-6-2) on offense, finishing 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Peter Cowley went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Dakota Gaillard and Reese Albert also drove in runs for the Warriors.
Jupiter, which is still seeking its first state title, reached the 9A regional finals last season, but fell 2-1 to eventual state champion Douglas. — Wells Dusenbury
CALVARY CHRISTIAN 18, WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN 7:
Calvary Christian had one of its best performances of the season in a rout in six innings of host Westminster Christian in the Region 4-4A final.
The Eagles (23-7) secured a return trip to state and a chance to repeat as state champions as they will face either Jacksonville Providence or Pensacola Catholic on May 26 in a Class 4A semifinal at CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers.
Calvary Christian hit five home runs combined off various Westminster pitchers including two grand slams and three homers overall during a 12-run sixth inning that broke a 6-6 tie. — Miami Herald
MIAMI CARROLL 6, HIGHLANDS CHRISTIAN 5:
Trailing by 5 early, Archbishop Carroll strung together six runs over two innings to rally past Highlands Christian in the 4-3A regional finals in Miami.
The Knights scored on Carroll errors in the second and on strong hitting in the third, including a two-run home run from Daniel Malay.
But everything changed in the bottom of the fourth, when Carroll’s Jonathan Leon connected for a home run to score two.
Still down two in the bottom of the fifth, Salvatore Lorenzo-Lugo cracked a two-RBI single down the first-base line to right field to give the Bulldogs the lead. — Miami Herald