Santiago-Cruz homers twice in Falcons’ win
The Beatles’ “Help!” blared from the speakers as Angel Santiago-Cruz strolled across home plate casually for the second time in Monday’s 10-2 win over Broadneck. He met the teammates his home run brought in and then dipped into the dugout and bellowed, “Let’s go” with confidence, joy — and relief.
Santiago-Cruz, the No. 6-ranked senior prospect in Maryland by Prep Baseball Report, entered this season already committed to University of Richmond. His name was on the minds of every Anne Arundel County coach, but recently, he had little to show in return.
His bat went dormant in the Falcons’ first county loss against Chesapeake last Thursday. After a blowout win Friday in which he produced an RBI single, the team took the weekend off — Santiago-Cruz did not.
“A little time for himself” included visiting old coaches, taking reps in the field alone — reviving the skill and power he knew deeply he had.
Twice on Monday, Broadneck pitcher Noah Forman tried to pitch around Santiago-Cruz. Both times, he made the mistake of leaving one in the zone.
“I knew they had to come to me eventually,” Santiago-Cruz said.
The Severna Park senior’s pair of three-run homers set the tone for a satisfying victory over the Falcons’ fiercest battle, who until now was unbeaten in county.
Directly after Santiago-Cruz’s second three-run home run in the bottom of the second, the Bruins (9-2) yanked Forman. Severna Park’s Charlie Hartman responded to the change of pace with a subsequent home run of his own. The Falcons (7-2) split a dozen hits across six innings. Jacob Williams and Kody Phillips plated a runner apiece.
The team that let Chesapeake track footprints all over them last Thursday could not be found.
“Wehadn’tbeenourbestinthe beginningoftheseason,butwetry to tell them it’s not where we’re at now — it’s where we’re trying to get to,” Severna Park coach Eric Milton said. “Playoffs, and ultimately — hopefully — a state championship.”
While looking glumly to the mistakes they made this time, BroadneckcoachMattSkrenchuk tries to preserve the same mindset. Last week, Bruins pitchers corralledopposinghitterstothree runs in four games. On Monday, theBruinssimply“madeacouple mistakes to the wrong guy.”
Take Santiago-Cruz’s reconnection to his power for a moment, and the Bruins skipper saw the work he wanted his team to put in. Senior shortstop Calvin Cook preceded Santiago-Cruz’s first inning bomb with one of his own. Falcons ace Sean Williams struck out seven Bruins but Broadneck hit the Penn State commit’s 94-mph fastball three times. And most importantly, the Bruins nipped enough pitches to forceWilliamstoretireinthefifth.
“Our kids didn’t hang their heads. They had good at-bats all the time. And defensively, we didn’t make an error,” Skrenchuk said. “A couple things didn’t bounce our way. This is just one game.”