“Miami Dade is a very good ball club with some experienced players that have the same goals as us,” said head coach Tim Hill II. “There is still a lot of baseball to play, but I wouldn’t be surprised that we will have some pretty meaningful matchups in the state tournament with them later in the season. I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch, but it was nice to our guys take the home field and return the favor to them as they took wins on their field against us. I think to finish the series 3-3, even though our record is not the best, we’re still playing good teams.”
“It felt great to get the win,” said sophomore Rook Ellington. “The bats woke up and our pitching was doing really well for us.”
“I think it’s really big for our group to get the win,” said freshman Harrison Long. “We’ve been struggling early, even though we got a lot of players and we finally starred to click and hopefully we can carry it on to the next week.”
Game One:
For game one, head coach Tim Hill II sent sophomore Cole Ayers to the mound, while MDC head coach Adrian Morales sent sophomore Nolan Santos to counter.
The Manatees would open the scoreboard first as sophomore Tucker Mitchell would hit an RBI double and send classmate Rook Ellington home. Two batters later, Mitchell would score score on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 SCF to start it off.
Soon the Sharks would get their first run on the board at the top of the second, thanks to an RBI double by freshman Wooyeoul Shin and soon would take the lead at the top of the third thanks to a grand slam by redshirt sophomore Ian Jenkins to make it 5-2 MDC.
The Manatees would not take any moment to give up as Ellington would a lead-off homer to right to cut the deficit to two. This was Ellington’s first home run of the season.
“The wind was blowing out and that really helped,” said Ellington on his home run. “Our bats started to wake up and we came back after being down.”
The Sharks would then extend the lead to five at the top of the fourth after a three-run shot by Jenkins for his second home run of the game, but the Manatees would add a run in the bottom half from a sacrifice fly by freshman Harrison Long to bring in classmate Brayden Woodburn, still 8-4 MDC.
In the bottom of the fifth, it was the Manatees’ time to rally. After Ellington and Mitchell were hit back-to-back by pitch, sophomore Owen Ayers would send a single to center to bring in Ellington. One batter later, freshman Kevin Karstetter would draw a walk to load the bases. After Woodburn struck out, Long would be the hero to lead the way on a 2-0 count as the Sarasota High product would send a grand slam to left to give the Manatees a 9-8 lead. This was Long’s first collegiate home run and first collegiate grand slam.
“I’ve been struggling early and was trying to stay with my approach just to get some runs, even though I was trying not to get all of them,” said Long on his grand slam. “I just did it to help the team.”
In the bottom of the sixth, the Manatees added some insurance runs to maintain the win. After Ellington hit a leadoff single and Mitchell drew a walk, Ellington would take steal third before scoring on a wild pitch while Mitchell moved to second on the same error. After Owen Ayers was hit by a pitch and Karstetter drew a walk to load the bases. Long would make his presence known as he lined a single to center to bring in Mitchell and make it an 11-8 SCF lead and sealing the deal for the first win.
Cole Ayers and Santo would each get no-decisions. Cole Ayers gave up all eight runs on 10 hits with two walks and six strikeouts in four innings, while Santos gave up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Sophomore David Barrett would get the win after throwing three scoreless and hitless innings of relief with one walk and five strikeouts.
Freshman Carlos Lequerica would earn the loss after giving up two runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts in one inning of relief. Sophomore Gabriel Figueroa-Hidalgo gave up two runs on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
Long was the leader of the first game as he finished 2-for-3 with the grand slam and six RBI. Ellington and Mitchell were both 2-for-2 with an RBI. Ellington had the home run with four runs scored and a walk, whlile Mitchell had two doubles, three runs scored and a walk. Owen Ayers was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
“Rook hasn' played a lot because of a leg issue,” said Hill on Ellington. “Once he’s healthy, he’s a difference maker for us and I think he’s the whole key to our offense to start things up at the top and he swings the bat well and is an excellent center fielder after making a heck of a diving catch in the first game in left center which was amazing. It would be on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays of the Week.”
“Having him back was really big, even though his legs are not in shape yet for being out for so long that I had to play it safe when conference play hits and not have him play in game two, but having him back is going to be big for our offense and defense.”
“Having him back was really big, even though his legs are not in shape yet for being out for so long that I had to play it safe when conference play hits and not have him play in game two, but having him back is going to be big for our offense and defense.”
Jenkins was the leader for the Sharks in the first game as he finished 2-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBI.
Redshirt sophomore Erick Oberta was 3-for-4 with two runs scored while sophomores Henry Wallen and Sujel Arias-Auzon each had two hits.
Game Two:
Hill went with redshirt freshman Daniel Batcher to start game two, while Morales sent Figueroa to counter.
In the bottom of the first, Owen Ayers would get the Manatees on the board first with a lead-off homer to left. It was his first home run of the season.
After Mitchell hit a double and Karstetter drew a walk, Long would work his magic once again as he towered a three-run shot to left for his second home run of the series.
“I just felt the momentum going into the second game,” said Long on his second home run. “I saw the pitch I needed and just reacted at the right time for the moment.”
At the top of the third, the Sharks would get on the board with two runs, thanks to a solo homer by redshirt sophomore Raphy Almanzar-Rosario and an RBI single by Jenkins.
At the top of the sixth, the Sharks would cut the deficit to one after an RBI single by sophomore Nicolas Patelli, but it was all they could produce as the Manatees were able to seal the sweep for the doubleheader.
Batcher would get the win after throwing four and two-thirds, giving up two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts. He is now 1-1 on the year.
Freshman Eli Thurmond would earn his first save after throwing two and a third innings, giving up one unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts.
Figueroa was credited with the loss after giving up all four runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts in three and two-thirds innings. Figueroa is now 1-1 on the team. Redshirt sophomore Marvin De La Hoz threw two and a third scoreless innings giving up one hit while walking two and striking out one.
Ayers (1-for-3, home run), Long (1-for-2, home run, three RBI), Mitchell (1-for-1) and freshman Joel Pérez (1-for-3) had the Manatees lone hits. Long finished the doubleheader 3-for-5 with two home runs and nine RBI.
“Harry is a good ball player with a good amount experience from his time with Jacksonville University,” said Hill on Long. “He’s played in big games against big opponents and has a lot of skills. He had a heck of a great week overall from the games against Central Florida and Pasco-Hernando and even today against Miami Dade. The grand slam he had in the first game was huge with no doubts.”
Orbeta was 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Wallen was 2-for-4.
Notes:
With his two wins, Hill II earned his 283rd and 284th wins. He is 16 away from reaching 300 in his career as head coach for the Manatees.
The Manatees were without sophomore Jack Anderson in the lineup as he was recovering from a hand injury from the home game against Pasco-Hernando.
“It does feel different without Jack (Anderson) in the lineup because he’s a threat with his bat,” said Hill on Anderson not in the game. “He’s a big strong kid who would have been a big threat today because the wind was blowing and he could put runs on the board. The guys hung with it though so we can get this wins.”
Up Next:
The Manatees will hopefully be on the road to Gainesville to take on Santa Fe College (4-4) Monday afternoon, February 8 at 3 pm.
The game is likely on to be determined basis as the Saints’ field conditions are uncertain due to heavy rain. The Saints were forced to cancel their previous game to South Florida State due to the heavy rain.
“Harry is a good ball player with a good amount experience from his time with Jacksonville University,” said Hill on Long. “He’s played in big games against big opponents and has a lot of skills. He had a heck of a great week overall from the games against Central Florida and Pasco-Hernando and even today against Miami Dade. The grand slam he had in the first game was huge with no doubts.”
Orbeta was 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Wallen was 2-for-4.
Notes:
With his two wins, Hill II earned his 283rd and 284th wins. He is 16 away from reaching 300 in his career as head coach for the Manatees.
The Manatees were without sophomore Jack Anderson in the lineup as he was recovering from a hand injury from the home game against Pasco-Hernando.
“It does feel different without Jack (Anderson) in the lineup because he’s a threat with his bat,” said Hill on Anderson not in the game. “He’s a big strong kid who would have been a big threat today because the wind was blowing and he could put runs on the board. The guys hung with it though so we can get this wins.”
Up Next:
The Manatees will hopefully be on the road to Gainesville to take on Santa Fe College (4-4) Monday afternoon, February 8 at 3 pm.
The game is likely on to be determined basis as the Saints’ field conditions are uncertain due to heavy rain. The Saints were forced to cancel their previous game to South Florida State due to the heavy rain.
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