Coral Shores turned the P.K. Yonge Blue Wave green last week, sending them back to Gainesville with a pair of losses and improving their own record to 12-1-1. On March 20, Donovan Thiery got the start, striking out seven batters in three innings before Glade Harrelson, Derek Ramos, Riley O’Berry and Eddie Holly each took an inning against the Blue Wave. Maykol Bonito had two singles and Campbell Lavoie had a double and three RBIs to spark the offense. The ’Canes piled on 10 hits in total, adding six walks and six stolen bases to beat the Blue Wave 10-4.
The following day, the Hurricanes needed just five innings to defeat them again, scoring 10 runs off eight hits. Thiery and Ramos had two apiece to lead the charge and Thiery stole a pair of bases. Lavoie spent four innings on the mound, earning the win by striking out nine batters, walking one and surrendering just two hits. O’Berry fanned two in his inning of relief in the 10-0 win.
Port St. Joe traveled from the panhandle to play Marathon March 15 and 17 in a two-game series. In game number one, the Tiger Sharks beat the Dolphins 15-1, requiring just five frames before the mercy rule kicked in. Lights-out pitching from Port St. Joe led to just three base hits from the Fins. Jack Chapman, Bryan Broche and Dylan Williams each singled and the Dolphins were perfect in the field, but the Tiger Sharks combined 12 hits with seven walks and five hit batters to overcome Marathon.
Undeterred by the loss, Marathon came back two nights later and gave the Tiger Sharks some much-needed extra travel time. The Fins came away with the mercy-rule win this time, piling on the runs to destroy Port St. Joe 18-8. Chapman led the charge with three hits and five RBIs. Roco Piscetello, Gavin Leal, Gabe Leal and Williams had two each. Mason Thornton struck out three, walked two and surrendered 11 hits over five frames before Gabe Leal fanned two in an inning of relief. The Fins stand at 10-6 with just two weeks to go before their conference playoffs begin.
Key West was the busiest Keys team last week, playing five games in as many days. They started their spring break against Lake Mary March 17 and 19. Key West’s bats were quiet with just one hit, a double, coming from Caden Pichardo. Kasey Kasper went five innings on the mound for the Conchs, striking out five batters, walking one and giving up four hits in a game that went scoreless until the third, when Lake Mary put one run on the board. Key West did the same in inning four. An exciting seventh frame saw both teams battling for points, and despite a three-run rally in the bottom of the final inning, Key West fell to the Rams 6-4.
Two days later, the Conchs managed four hits and a dozen walks helped Key West in their offensive endeavors. Nelson Ong tripled while Sam Holland, Caden Pichardo and Jackie Niles each doubled. A trio of underclassmen pitched in on the mound. Sophomore Cruz Holmes got the start and fellow sophomore Darreld Tremino and freshman Cade Maltz added to the efforts, combining for eight strikeouts for the Conchs. Lake Mary’s bats were strong, though, and a dozen hits helped them beat the Conchs 10-8.
Key West’s slide continued March 21 against John Carroll Catholic in a heartbreaking 5-3 loss. Key West struck first, scoring two in the first and adding another in the third off a Kade Maltz home run. The Conchs effectively shut out the Rams until inning six when an unlucky series of hits scored two for John Carroll. More of the same in the final frame gave the Rams the win. John Carroll held Key West to just four hits.
On March 22, Key West’s luck changed, first in a 4-2 win over Tampa’s Berkeley Prep, then in a decisive 8-3 victory over Dade Christian later that same day. Against Berkeley, Sam Holland and Roman Garcia each doubled in a five-hit game in which the Conchs were perfect in the field. Vinnie Moline shut down the Bucs, going the distance and striking out seven, walking three and surrendering four hits over seven innings. Jon Carlos Lampas-Gormley did the same that night, striking out eight with zero walks and five hits against the Warriors of Dade Christian. Holland had three hits including a double plus and RBI to lead the offensive onslaught. Pichardo and Xavier Perez each added a pair of hits and Maltz added one for the win. The pair of wins put the Conchs at 11-6 on the season with eight regular-season games to go prior to playoffs.
