Heritage tops Park Vista in Broward-PBC clash

PLANTATION — Junior left-hander Ryan Cabarcas tossed six strong innings, and American Heritage topped Park Vista 3-2 in a Broward-vs.-Palm Beach County showdown of top baseball teams on Wednesday night at Heritage.

Cabarcas, a Florida commit, struck out nine for the Patriots (16-2) and improved his record to 6-0, giving up one run on three hits. He finished strong, retiring the last seven batters he faced — six of them on strikeouts.

Catcher and cleanup hitter Julio Cortez, a USF signee, laced a double to right-center that scored Cory Acton and got Triston Casas in all the way from first base, putting Heritage up 2-1. It would’ve been a 1-2-3 inning for the Cobras, but a questionable safe call at first on an Acton grounder that was bobbled extended the frame.

Casas, a Miami signee, added an insurance run that proved pivotal with an RBI double in the sixth to score the UF-signed Acton. Taylor Clapp hit an RBI triple to center with no one out in the seventh, but Devin Futrell retired the final three Cobra batters for the save.

Park Vista (14-4) got on the board first when Matt Paulo doubled to right-center to bring in Taylor Clapp. Paulo was thrown out trying to extend it to a triple.

Cobras starter Zach Mendiguren gave up just two unearned runs but labored through 3 innings. He got out of bases-loaded jams in the first and second innings.

Wednesday was the second meeting between the two teams but first since the opener when Heritage won 9-0 at the Aquinas First Pitch Classic. The Cobras had their other two losses come against Pine Crest and West Broward. American Heritage’s two losses came in the USA Baseball National High School Invitational two weeks ago after a loss on the field to Calvary Christian was flipped to a win via forfeit after the Eagles were found to have three transfers ineligible earlier this season due to incomplete paperwork.