PREP ROUNDUP: Manatee High holds off Out-of-Door Academy in baseball

BRADENTON – The Manatee High baseball team stayed hot as it heads toward the postseason with a 6-5 victory over Out-of-Door Academy on Tuesday night at G.T. Bray Park.

After the defending state champion Thunder scored twice in the top of the first inning, the Hurricanes came back with a run in the bottom of the first and took the lead for good with three in the second inning.

After Devin Calderdon, Ozzy Lonzo and Diego Garcia filled the bases with singles, junior Tripp Helgeson cleared them with a three-run double to center field for the big blow in the second.

Manatee (14-10) added two more in the fourth on a single by Garcia and a sacrifice by Helgeson, who had a four-RBI game.

Out-of-Door made it a game by scoring twice in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Aidan Marino and a RBI double by Luca Marino.

The Thunder used a two-out rally to move the potential tying run into scoring position in the seventh. Giovanni Giuliani singled, Luca Marino walked and Jack Hobson had a RBI single with two outs. Senior Myles Jordan got the final out on a fly ball to left.

The Thunder (14-8) finish the regular season Wednesday at home against Palmetto High on Out-of-Door’s Senior Night.

“We’ve got one more chance to turn it around,” said Thunder coach Mike Matthews, whose team will play the winner of the Imagine School at North Port and Sarasota Christian game in the Class 2A-District 11 tournament. “Hopefully, we get back on the right foot starting tomorrow.”

Manatee closed the regular season Thursday at home against Booker High.

“Like any good team, you want to start jelling and playing well at the end of the year,” Hurricanes coach Nolan Neiman said. “We’re excited for Thursday. Can’t overlook Booker.”

Out-of-Door takeaways

• The Thunder defense was a little leaky early, as two errors, a wild pitch and a passed ball on a strikeout led to Manatee’s first run. “We had a similar showing against Berkeley,” Matthews said. “I don’t know if it was because we got up 2-0 early and we got on our heels a little bit. We just didn’t attack some of the baseballs we should have and didn’t make some plays. It gave them some extra runs that led to ultimately the final score. It’s physical errors, but the mentality of it that’s leading to it right now.”

• Out-of-Door batters made 11 outs through the air via the infield or outfield. “That’s something I talked to the guys about. When you hit fly balls, you’re giving the other team outs,” Matthews said. “We told them about it after the third inning. We were having success hitting the ball on the ground. The adjustment just came too late.”

• One fly ball Matthews did not mind seeing came off the bat of Aidan Marino, whose long fly down the left field line near the foul pole was ruled a home run. Marino sold the play that could have been foul by running around the bases. “That’s what you have to do in that situation,” Matthews said.

Manatee takeaways

• The Hurricanes pounced on the Out-of-Door mistakes behind Thunder starter Luke Geske. “We came out strong,” Neiman said. “Geske threw the ball pretty well. We put some good swings on some pitches that usually would have been strikes or strikeout pitches and made them pay a little bit early, which is a credit to our offense.”

• Manatee got a strong start from senior Jayse Berzowski and good relief from Davide Montanari and Jordan. Berzowski, a lefty who works quickly, pitched the first five innings, allowing six hits and four runs. Montaneri got the next five outs before running into difficulty in the seventh. “Jayse is our No. 1,” Neiman said. “He’s in the zone. He attacks. That’s what a senior pitcher should do. Davide he’s been one of the best in the state all year. A little off tonight at times, but his stuff is good enough to get swings and misses.”

• The Hurricanes opened the season with six straight victories, outscoring their opposition, 63-17. “Started really strong and then we had a few ups and downs and hit a few road bumps,” Neiman said. “The last week and a half we’ve done a really good job moving forward. We’ve been focused.” Second-seeded Manatee will play the winner of No. 3 Riverdale and No. 6 Immokalee in the Class 6A-District 8 semifinals May 3 at home.

Sarasota 9, Braden River 5

AT: Sarasota

TOP PLAYERS: S, Mario Trivella (2-3, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Luke Jackson (2-3, run, RBI), Rocco Depastino (1-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Krieger (2-3, 2 runs, RBI)

PITCHING: S, Conner Stewart (4 IP, 2 hits, 3 Ks)

OF NOTE: Mario Trivella led off the bottom of the first with a home run. … Conner Stewart pitched four innings of scoreless relief for the win.

RECORD: Sarasota (16-6)

NEXT: Sarasota at Riverview, 7 p.m. Wednesday

Parrish Community 7, Lakewood 2

AT: Parrish Community

TOP PLAYER: PC, Carson Allison (3 hits, inc. 2B, 5 RBI)

PITCHING: PC, Alek Trompke (WP, 6 IP, 1 run, 8 Ks)

OF NOTE: Seniors Carson Allison, Noah Eatman, Jack Nilsson, Alek Trompke and Carson Womer all reached base safely on the program’s first Senior Night.

RECORD: Parrish (15-9)

NEXT: Southeast at Parrish Community, 6 p.m., Wednesday

Riverview 8, Palmetto 7

AT: Suncoast Technical School

TOP PLAYERS: R, Pip Smalley (2-3, HR, 2 runs, 3 RBI), Cooper Backman (2-2, 2 runs, RBI), Cesar Silva (2-2, 2B, RBI), Clay Russin (1-3, 2B, run, RBI); P, Aiden Shea (2-4, run), Andrew Spahn (2-3, 2 RBI, run) Dalton Frasier (2-3, run)

Cardinal Mooney 13, St. Petersburg Canterbury 0

AT: Cardinal Mooney

TOP PLAYERS: CM, Will Zerega (2-3, 2B, RBI), Paddy Hebda (2-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Alex Santa Maria (3-3, 2B), Drew Marra (2-3, 2 RBI), Bronson Sessa (RBI)

RECORD: Cardinal Mooney (10-9)

NEXT: Sarasota at Cardinal Mooney, 4:30 p.m. Friday

Venice 5, Fort Myers 2

AT: Venice

TOP PLAYERS: Jon Embury (1-3, 2B, 2 RBI), Cole Schumaker (1-4, 2B, run, RBI)

PITCHING: V, John Whitney (5 IP, hit, 2 walks, 8 Ks)

Lakewood Ranch 9, IMG Academy Black 8

AT: Lakewood Ranch

TOP PLAYERS: LR, Austin Parcels (2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Reed Muschinsky (2-3, 4 RBI, 2 runs), Kaden Allen (2-2, run), Zach Miller (1-3, 2 runs)

PITCHING: Jack Muller (6 IP, 2 hits, 3 runs, 3 walks, 6 Ks)

BOYS TENNIS

Saint Stephens 4, Trinity Prep. 0

Class 1A state semifinals

DOUBLES — Jake Pettingell / Max Pettingell (SS) def. Nate Cohen / Alex Wang (TP) 6-1, 4-6, 10-6; Tomas Martins / Ricardo Perazzolo (SS) def. Thomas Garcia / Ben Detriades (TP) 6-1, 6-1

SINGLES — Jake Pettingell (SS) def. Nate Cohen (TP) 6-1, 6-1; 2. Max Pettingell (SS) def. Alex Wang (TP) 6-4, 6-0; 3. Tomas Martins (SS) leads Ben Demetriades (TP) 6-2, 4-1; Ricardo Perazzolo (SS) def. Lucas Qu (TP) 6-2, 6-1; Thomas Garcia (TP) leads Meng Zhao (SS) 6-4, 2-1

State final

Boca Raton Saint Andrews 4, Saint Stephen’s 0

SOFTBALL

Southeast 20, Bayshore 8

AT: Southeast

TOP PLAYERS: SE, Christal Quinones (2-3, 3-run HR, 2 BB, 4 runs), Mikayla Reyna (3-4, 2 3B, 2B, BB, 4 RBI, 4 runs), Kaela Pangman (2 2B, 3 RBI, 3 runs)

PITCHING: SE, Kaela Pangman (6 IP, 3 ER, BB, 8 Ks)

OF NOTE: It was Senior Night for Christal Quinones, Mikayla Reyna, and Kaela Pangman.

RECORD: Southeast (8-8)

NEXT: Southeast at Spoto in first round of districts.

Parrish Community 14, Clearwater Central Catholic 0

AT: Parrish Community

TOP PLAYERS: PC, Jade Kruse (3-3), Grace Crestani (3-3, 2 2B), Grace Woodring (2-2), Carsen Kull (2-4)

PITCHING: Riley Little (2 IP, walk, 4 Ks),

OF NOTE: Riley Little and Brooke Strickland combined to pitch a one-hit shutout.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Cardinal Mooney 4, Sarasota Christian 1

Cardinal Mooney results: Helena Hebda / Madeline Carson: 21-14, 21-7; Piper Carson / Ella Shuel: 21-15, 24-22; Gracie Page / Izzy Russell: 21-14, 21-9; Riley Greene / Kate Montesano: 21-7, 21-9

RECORD: Cardinal Mooney (16-1)

NEXT: Cardinal Mooney at Bradenton Christian for district championship, 4 p.m. Wednesday

Dennis Maffezzoli is the deputy sports editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and chief reporter for Sarasota Herald-Tribune and HTpreps covering Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: PREP ROUNDUP: Manatee High holds off Out-of-Door Academy in baseball