Hialeah Educational baseball advances in 3A
After upsetting nationally ranked Calvary Christian in a Class 3A region quarterfinal, Hialeah Educational Academy baseball did not have a let down in the region semifinal. Though, the Bulldogs had to rally late to avoid it.
Hialeah Educational came from behind with three runs in the top of the seventh to defeat Coral Springs Charter 4-3 and move onto the region finals, a school first. Victor Sanchez hit two home runs for the victors.
Hialeah Educational (10-18-1) and Coral
Springs Charter were district runners-up. District champs and district runners-up qualify for regionals.
In the region quarterfinals, Hialeah Educational stunned district champ Calvary Christian 2-1, and Coral Springs Charter also edged district champ Pace 2-1, setting up a showdown in the region semifinal at Cypress Park in Coral Springs.
Trailing 3-1 in the top of the seventh, Sanchez hit his second home run, a solo shot. Dariel Castillo then reached on an infield single, and Matthew Magluta walked.
Kenneth Martinez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Castillo then scored the tying run on a wild pitch, and Magluta followed suit with the winning run also on a wild pitch.
Sanchez was 2 for 3 with two home runs, two runs and two RBI. Castillo was 1 for 2 with a run, and Magluta walked and scored. Brandon Rodriguez was 1 for 2 with a walk.
Behind 1-0 in the top of the fourth, Sanchez hit a solo home run thatclanked off the top corner of the left field fence to even things. In the seventh, his second home run cleared the left field fence.
The team managed to retrieve both home run balls for him.
Coral Springs Charter (13-8) scored once in the second, once in the fourth and once in the fifth, building a 3-1 advantage.
Hialeah Educational starting pitcher Alex Periera allowed one run on two walks and struck out one in two innings.
Chris Fernandez recorded the win in long relief, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks, while striking out four in five innings. After the Bulldogs took the lead in the top of the seventh, Fernandez had no trouble sealing it in the bottom of the inning.
In the huge region quarterfinal win over Calvary Christian five days prior, Fernandez went the distance for the victory, allowing one run on six hits and four walks, while striking out nine. The Eagles had runners on base, but Fernandez settled down each time.
Hialeah Educational went ahead 1-0 in the top of the second against Calvary. The Eagles (195-1) tied things in the bottom of the second. Hialeah Education scored the winner in the top of the third.
Rodney Rodriguez, who drove in the winning run, and Magluta, who drove in the first run, each went 1 for 3 with an RBI. Sanchez scored the first run, and Jonathan Cardoso scored the winner. Castillo, Periera and Nathaniel Gomez added hits.
Hialeah Educational first-year coach Lazaro Fundora, who coached at Brito for 18 years, arrainged a tough regular season schedule, and some of the scores are deceiving.
They played Calvary Christian, Doral Academy, Douglas, Florida Christian, iMater Academy, Miami Christian, and Westminster Christian and lost all those games.
Hialeah Educational avenged its regular season loss to iMater with a key district semifinal victory to qualify for regionals.
How about this? Calvary defeated Hialeah Educational 16-0 during regular season, but that’s one of the deceiving scores as the Bulldogs top three pitchers were not available, because of its schedule format. Different story in the region quarterfinal.
The Bulldogs play district champ Westminster Christian in a 3A region final on May 19.
In the regular season, the Warriors also dominated Hialeah Educational, but again, the Bulldogs top three pitchers were not available.
WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN WINS
3A Region Semifinal: Westminster Christian 8, Keys Gate 2: Winning pitcher Joel Pineiro went the distance, allowing two runs (none earned) on five hits and no walks, while striking out 10.
Christian Bosque went 3 for 4 with an RBI, and Rene Ramirez was 3 for 5 with two doubles, a run and an RBI.
The Warriors (21-7) will host district runner-up Hialeah Educational in a 3A region final on May 19.
SUBMIT POSTSEASON RESULTS
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Roundup compiled