Miami Christian wins 4th state title, cements program among Dade’s best
Miami Christian proved once again it belongs in the conversation when it comes to South Florida’s top baseball programs.
Led by strong collective effort from its bullpen and more aggressive baserunning, the Victors rallied from an early deficit to defeat Tallahassee North Florida Christian 4-1 on Tuesday night in the Class 2A state championship at Hammond Stadium.
Miami Christian (29-3) won its fourth state title overall and third in the past five seasons.
While the Victors don’t have the vast amount of state titles as a few other Miami-Dade and Broward powerhouses, they are quickly ascending in the record books.
Miami Christian’s four state titles now rank sixth all-time among Dade and Broward schools tied with Hialeah-Miami Lakes. The Victors trail only Westminster Christian (11), Brito (7), Monsignor Pace (7), Archbishop McCarthy (7) and now defunct Loyola (5) on that list.
Winning three titles in half a decade though is something four of those schools have done.
Miami Christian, which won its first state title in 1975, has won all of its recent three under coach Chris Cuadra.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Miami Christian made a gamechanging play on the basepaths much like it did when Roylan Quevedo
stole home in their state semifinal win on Monday against Orlando Foundation Academy.
After Jeter Polledo led off with a single, catcher Chris Diaz bunted him over to second. But Polledo didn’t stop at second. As he rounded the bag to head to third he forced a wild overthrow from NFC first baseman Kaseman Pressley that allowed him to score and tie the game at 1.
In the fifth, another error on a rushed throw by NFC shortstop Traylon Ray on an infield single by Jesus Mosegue allowed catcher Jeymil Estrada to score from second and give Miami Christian the lead for good. The Victors added two more in the inning on a sac fly by Bryant Zayas and a single by Polledo.
An RBI single by North
Florida Christian designated hitter Aiden Butler scored the first run after Miami Christian starter Henry Martinez walked the bases loaded. But Polledo came up with a great throw to the plate to Diaz to prevent a second run as he tagged NFC left fielder Joey Ervin out at
the plate.
David Bosque would pitch 3 ⅓ scoreless innings, Derrek Arrocha would pitch the final 2 1⁄3 innings and Jameson Caro would record the final out to seal the win.