Clutch pitching propels Monsignor Pace, Miami Springs baseball into regional semifinals
All season long, Monsignor Pace pitcher Joey Gamiz had been called upon when it came to middle relief. But on Tuesday night, Spartans coach Tom Duffin had different plans for him. With his team clinging to a narrow lead, Gamiz was called on late in the game to be the team’s closer, tasked with recording the final four outs.
After inheriting a first and third, two out situation in the top of the sixth and giving up an RBI single on his first pitch, the Barry University commit dominated the final inning as the Spartans hung on for the 3-2 home victory over Florida Christian in a Region 4-3A quarterfinal at Pace.
With the tying run in scoring position, Gamiz induced a groundout to first base off the bat of pinch hitter Eddie Fernandez to end the threat in the sixth before striking out the side in order in the seventh to end it and send Pace (15-8) into the Region 4-3A semifinal on Friday afternoon. Pace will travel to Fort Lauderdale to take on Calvary Christian at 4 p.m.
“It didn’t start well when I gave up that first hit but I knew that I just had to stay focused and not get rattled because my teammates and coaches were counting on me,” Gamiz said. “Once I got that ground ball to get out of the inning, I knew I was good going into that last inning. My slider was really working and that was my go-to pitch in that last inning.”
Led by a strong start from St. Thomas University commit Jose Arauz, and backed up by a pair of solo home runs from Dyson Joseph and Jacob Poletto, the Spartans built a 3-0 lead over the first five innings.
The homers came in handy as Florida Christian pitcher and University of Miami commit Lazaro Collera otherwise dominated all night long, giving up just two other hits.
Arauz was solid through five innings but got in trouble in the sixth when he gave up a solo home run to Jonathan Gonzalez, a double to Giancarlo Chantres and another walk to put runners on the corners with two outs. That set the stage for Gamiz and his heroics.
“When we need strikes, Joey is the one we go to,” Duffin said. “He isn’t so much of a strikeout guy as he is the kind of pitcher that doesn’t walk anyone and allows the ball to be put in play. So what’s he do? Goes out and strikes out the side. What an effort in a clutch situation.”
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▪ Region 4-4A quarterfinal - Miami Springs 5, Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons 2: Springs (17-7), on the strength of a two-run double to right center by catcher Kelven Perrera and two-run homer by Gio Cutino two batters later, nailed Gibbons starter George Stringos for four runs in the first inning. Springs then added one more in the second when Perrera brought in Jordany Gonzalez from second with a base hit to center chasing Stringos.
Left hander Cole Cozzolino replaced Stringos and Gibbons coach Jason Hamilton might have wished he had started him as Cozzolino completely shut the Hawks down the rest of the way allowing just two hits and only three base runners.
“Our first two guys got on and I went up to the plate looking for something I could drive,” said Perrera who finished 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and a run scored. “I got a hanging curve ball, put a good swing on it and away we went. Getting up on them early was big because we know we’ve got the pitching staff and defense to take us the rest of the way and that’s what you saw out there today.”
The combination of Springs starting pitcher and University of Miami commit Jordan Vargas and Florida State commit David Davila then managed to keep the Chiefs off the scoreboard for the next six innings before Andy Hernandez gave up a two-out, 2-RBI double to left by sophomore Brendan Trujillo to spoil the combined shutout bid by the Hawks pitchers. Trujillo enjoyed a big day for the Chiefs (10-12-2) as he finished 4-for-4 at the plate.
“You can’t stress enough the importance of jumping on an opponent early in a postseason elimination game,” Springs coach David Fanshawe said. “We got a big double from Kelven and then the bomb from Gio and we were able to control the game from there.“
Vargas could not have agreed more.
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“Getting that lead, it obviously made me feel way more comfortable and allowed my to really pitch the way I wanted to pitch,” said Vargas who missed most of this season with a back injury before returning to the mound last week. “Now we’re really excited about what’s up next because we know it’s going to be a big challenge.”
Vargas is referring to Springs’ upcoming regional semifinal contest Friday night in which the Hawks, as they had to do a year ago, will make the trip down U.S. 1 to Key West to take on the top-seeded Conchs on a field and venue that has seen very little success for Dade or Broward teams over the years.
The Hawks pulled it off last year, shocking Key West 4-2 on a monster effort from pitcher Brandon Olivera. The senior and University of Miami commit will need to be up to the task again as he will get the ball.
“A bunch of our kids that went down there last year are still on the team so having already gone through it will probably help and we’re excited for the challenge,” Fanshawe said. “That said it’s not something we wanted to do this time as the goal is always to try and be the highest seed so you can get them and other teams to come to your field. But it is what it is and we’ll jump on the bus Friday and try and go down there and do it again.”
