Miami Christian advances to defend its state title
The Miami Christian baseball team will officially defend its state title.
The Victors scored three early runs and held on to defeat Real Life Christian Academy 3-2 in a Class 2A state semifinal at the CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers. Miami Christian (19-8) will face Searcrest Country Day in the state championship game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
After giving up a run in the top of the first, Miami Christian responded by putting up three runs over the next two innings. Fernando Fernandez tied the game with an RBI double to center field to score Christian Muniz, who walked to get on base. A Gabriel Vasquez RBI groundout added the second run of the frame before Marcos Alvero led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left field.
It was enough support for Jason Marono, who gave up two runs over 6 innings to earn the win. Marono gave up eight hits and two walks while striking out seven. Jason Garcia struck out the final two batters to seal the win.
REGIONAL FINALS
Region 4-9A final: Locked in a tie game with one out in the sixth inning, hoping not to squander another prime scoring opportunity, Coral Reef’s Michael Ogden dropped down a squeeze bunt and darted to first base. Sebastian Jimenez, running on contact, darted from third base with the ball a mere feet in front of home plate.
Coral Park first baseman Roman Garcia, playing close to home plate in anticipation of the bunt, picked up the ball, looked home, hesitated and made a late throw to first instead. Jimenez scores, Ogden is safe at first, and Coral Reef has a lead for the first time in the game.
About 10 minutes later, the Barracudas could finally celebrate. With a 2-1 win over Coral Park in the Region 4-9A final, Coral Reef advanced to its first state final four. Reef (19-10) will face either Timber Creek or Vero Beach at the CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers on May 30 for a spot in the state championship. First pitch for that game is set for 1 p.m.
Samuel Cheng earned the win for Reef by throwing seven quality innings.
Region 4-6A final: Host Miami Springs defeated Eau Gallie 11-5 in a Region 4-6A final at Springs High School’s Shelly Dunkel Field.
With tons of Springs alumni at the game lining both the left- and rightfield lines, the dogpile at the center of the field when it was over said it all. A program playing in its first regional final took full advantage, breaking through to the state final four.
Springs, 27-1 and now ranked No. 8 in the nation by Baseball America, will take on either Dunnellon or Tampa Jesuit in a 6A state semifinal at CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers on May 31 at 1 p.m.
“This is an absolutely unbelievable moment right now and I’m still trying to believe it really happened,” said Springs head coach David Fanshawe.
Leading 6-1 going to the sixth, the Hawks, whose pitching staff had a combined ERA of 0.95 during the regular season, almost saw everything slip away when Eau Gallie scored four unanswered runs to make it 6-5 in the sixth.
Closer Jesus Gonzalez retired the side in order from there and then got all the insurance he would need when the Hawks, after Eau Gallie recorded the first two outs, put on a huge rally scoring five runs by virtue of five walks and a Nicholas Fuentes twoRBI single.