Chivers lifts Warriors to victory in rematch

Jupiter avenges loss to Central, reaches 9A regional final.

WELLINGTON — To onlookers, Jupiter pitcher Zach Chivers leaving his postgame interview to “break it down” with his teammates may have been a strange sight.

But after pitching his heart out in what could have potentially been the final game of his high school career, Chivers earned a brief, calm moment among friends.

Taking the mound against Pal m B e a c h C e nt ra l i n a rematch of the District 9-A final, Chivers pitched his second consecutive complete game in a 7-1 victory over the Broncos.

“We were saying that ( Jupiter’s loss in the district game) was a fluke and our heads weren’t there,” Chivers said of the 9-3 loss on May 4. “We wanted a second chance, and we got that second chance.”

Things didn’t start out easy for the Canisius College commit, as Broncos leadoff hitter Brandon Liberto reached base on an error by shortstop Anthony Servideo. After inducing a flyout, Chivers allowed a double by shortstop Brendan Power, a Notre Dame commit, putting runners on second and third with one out.

Third baseman Pierson Reynolds gave Palm Beach Central (18-10) a 1- 0 lead with a sacrifice fly, but that’d be the only run the Broncos would score as Chivers regained his momentum. Chivers would retire the next nine hitters in order and only allow one other hit through the next four innings.

“Going out there, I kind of misjudged them,” Chivers said. “I went out trying to (overpower them) when re a l ly, I j us t had t o c ool down and do what I’m used to doing.”

It didn’t take long for Jupiter (21-6-2) to tie the game, as Dakota Gaillard singled Peter Cowley home with two outs in the top of the second inning. Servideo tripled to begin the third and came home on a sacrifice fly from catcher Mason Doolittle.

After the Warriors added another run in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Cowley, Jupiter broke out for four in the seventh, punctured by a two-run home run to center field from Doolittle.

Jupiter advances to Tuesday’s regional final, where it will face the winner between Parkland-Douglas and Pembroke Pines-Flanagan.