Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Rally gives Stoneman Douglas regional title
PARKLAND — The Stoneman Douglas baseball team kept its state title defense going, using a five-run fifth inning that included a monstrous Jake Clemente home run to power back against Miami Christopher Columbus in the 7A regional final Tuesday.
Clemente went deep in the bottom of the fifth to bring in the three runs that ultimately lifted the Eagles to a 7-5 home victory at Anthony Rizzo Field. Stoneman Douglas stepped to the plate that inning trailing the Explorers 4-2 but rallied to reach Friday’s state semifinal in Fort Myers.
“I have said it all year long: These guys are so resilient,” Stoneman Douglas coach Todd Fitz-Gerald said. “Still, in the semifinal and the final we have not put [forth] our best, but ... these guys are chasing something special and they have that never-quit, neverdie attitude.”
The Eagles were down to their last out in the inning when pitcher Chris Rodriguez and second baseman Cameron Harris sparked the comeback with consecutive RBI singles. Clemente then went deep over the center-field wall to send teammates and fans into a frenzy.
“I had chills throughout my entire body,” Clemente said of his homer. “It was amazing.
“The first two at-bats I did not really help my team out when I should have, so I knew right there I had to come through, and I knew that was my moment and it was time to step up and help my team out.”
The Eagles scored their first two runs of the game in
the first inning, using some clever baserunning.
Following an RBI single from catcher Santiago Ordonez, Fitz-Gerald had Harris attempt to steal second while Clemente was at bat. Harris half-heartedly tried to take the bag, distracting the Explorers long enough to allow Roman Anthony to run home from third base. Harris also made it back to first as the visitors attempted to tag Anthony out at the plate.
“I felt like [Columbus] was a little bit out of sorts away from home, so I thought we could put a little pressure on them early and get a couple runs early,” Fitz-Gerald said.
On the mound Rodriguez struck out five in as many innings while Chris Arroyo threw the last two innings.
“We have two more [games] to go,” Fitz-Gerald said. “We do not know who we play. We really do not care who we play.
“We are going to prepare in the next two days and put our best foot forward. [We will] go out there and represent Broward County and go after it.”
Gardens advances
Palm Beach Gardens is heading to the state semifinal for the first time since 2012 after senior pitcher Robbie Throop tossed a two-hitter, senior Enzo Vertucci ripped a go-ahead RBI double in the sixth and the host Gators defeated Park Vista 3-2 in a Class 7A regional final Tuesday night.
Palm Beach Gardens (21-7) advanced to the Class 7A state semifinal and will play Friday in Fort Myers.
In the bottom of the sixth junior right fielder Blake Mathews reached on a leadoff walk against relief pitcher Jacob Esgro. Vertucci stepped to the plate with two outs and drilled a pitch to left-center toward the fence as Mathews raced all the way from first to score and give the Gators a 3-2 lead.
“I figured I was going to get a fastball and I just jumped on it,” Vertucci said. “It was low and in, and I like that spot and hit it as hard as I could.
“That’s the most excited I have been in my life watching the whole dugout go crazy.”
Throop allowed a solo home run in each of the first two innings, which were the only two hits in the game for the Cobras (23-6). He induced a grounder to short for a double play in the fifth and retired the final eight batters of the game.
“It was just getting ahead of hitters and throwing strikes,” Throop said. “The win means the world to me. I love these guys.”
Throop has 11 wins on the mound to lead the Gators pitching staff.
“Robbie has been our guy since day one,” Palm Beach Gardens coach Matt Judkins said. “He wants to start and finish every game.
“I do not think he gets the credit he deserves. He does the job and is never afraid of the situation. I am super proud of him.”
Senior catcher Austin Fawley crushed a two-out blast to left in the first and junior centerfielder Javi Soto drilled a two-out home run to left in the second.
Park Vista sophomore pitcher Ethan Mattison pitched five innings and allowed two runs on five hits.
— Alex Kushel
REGIONAL FINALS Monday
5A
Naples 4, American Heritage 2 Tuesday
7A
Palm Beach Gardens 3Park Vista 2 Stoneman Douglas 7, Columbus 5
6A
Doral Academy 10, Dwyer 0
3A
Cardinal Newman 9, The First Academy 1
North Broward Prep 14, Westminster Christian 12
2A
Miami Christian 11, Trinity Christian 1 STATE SEMIFINALS
In Fort Myers
Friday (according to fhsaa.com) 7A
Stoneman Douglas vs. Hagerty, 4p.m. Palm Beach Gardens vs. Plant, 7 Tuesday
3A