PREP ROUNDUP: Riverview scores late to knock off Mustangs, 4-1

SARASOTA — The Riverview High baseball team snapped a three-game losing streak by pulling out a late-inning win over visiting Lakewood Ranch High, 4-1, Wednesday evening at the Rams field at Suncoast Technical College.

“We’ve been playing good teams,” said Rams coach Jeremy Schmidt, whose team lost to IMG Academy Gray, Plantation American Heritage and Doral Academy, who are a combined 24-6-1. “Facing these top teams are only going to get us better. We’ve got a veteran team, so they were battling.”

Riverview snapped a 1-all tie with a run in the fifth inning. Elijah Hurt drew a one-out walk and stole second before Cooper Beckman delivered a two-out, run-scoring hit to right.

The Rams added two runs in the sixth inning on a double by pinch-hitter Cooper Bowditch and an RBI triple by leadoff hitter Chris Barr, who continued home on an error,

Reliever Austin Harford retired all nine hitters he faced to pick up the victory.

Both teams are in action Friday: the Mustangs visit Parrish Community High, and the Rams are home to face Venice High.

Lakewood Ranch takeaways

• The Mustangs are not allowing many runs, but not scoring many either. They came into the game even in the runs for/runs against department with 21 each. Part of the problem offensively has been leaving runners in scoring position. Against Riverview, Lakewood Ranch stranded three runners, all in scoring position. It also had a runner gunned down at third base and hit into a 6-4-3 double play. “We left 10-plus runners on base the last two games,” Mustangs first-year coach Colton Chupp said. “We need a better two-strike approach and just (have to) find a hit, squeeze in a hit here and there.”

• Lakewood Ranch received a solid start from left-hander Lochlan Radloff, who went four innings. He allowed five hits and one run with two walks and four strikeouts. The bullpen was responsible for three runs and three hits in the final two innings. “Our pitching was a little off here toward the end,” Chupp said. “We’ve got to work on getting ahead later in the game.

• Lakewood Ranch manufactured its lone run in the third inning to open the scoring. No. 9 hitter Holden Pollock walked and was sacrificed to second by Clayton Dees. Mason Wollever doubled in Pollock but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Ryan Combs followed with a double and stole third, but was stranded. The Mustangs dropped to 3-5, 1-5 on the road. They have scored five runs in the past four games. “We’ve got to keep moving,” Chupp said. “We’ve got a lot of season left.”

Riverview takeaways

• The Rams tied the game in the bottom of the third inning. Barr singled and Pip Smalley walked. Dylan Wilds extended his bat to bunt, but pulled it back and slashed a single to the gap and took second on the throw, placing runners on second and third base with no outs. Riverview failed to produce another run in the inning, as Radloff recorded two strikeouts sandwiched around a comebacker. “Dylan Wilds has been on fire for us all year,” Schmidt said. “I’ve been trying to figure out a lineup and switching stuff up. I moved him up and he came up with that key slash. He gives you a good at-bat.”

• Smalley, the reigning Herald-Tribune Baseball Player of the Year, started on the mound after getting hit in the hand while batting against American Heritage, which forced him to miss a game. The two-way player gave up three hits, three walks and a run in four innings, while striking out four. “We didn’t want to push him,” Schmidt said. “He felt good and we got four out of him. For him to be able to throw four innings with no pain, that’s all we were asking.”

• Harford, who got a start against American Heritage, has been working primarily in relief. He struck out three in his three perfect innings. “I’ve been just trying to focus on first-pitch strikes and get us back in the dugout early so we can go hit,” Harford said. “I like coming in relief. I also like starting. I couldn’t really find my curveball, which is my main secondary pitch, so I just had to focus on fastball placement, and it ended up working out for me.” “He’s been like that all year,” Schmidt said. “He throws his pitches and hits his spots. He’s just a competitor. He’s our stopper. Any inning we need to get outs, he comes in.”

Sarasota 7, Venice 4

AT: Sarasota High.

TOP PLAYERS: S, Lance Trippel (3-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R), Bernard Barnes (2-3, 2B), Rocco Depastino (1-4, 2B, 2RBI), Bradley Ransden (1-3, 2B, 2R); V, Trent Adrian (3-4, R, RBI), Nicolas Dunn (2-4), Hunter Possehl (2-3, RBI).

PITCHING: S, Bradley Ramsden (3IP, 8H, 3R, 1BB, 2K), Bernard Barnes (4IP, 3H, 1R-0ER, 1BB, 5 Ks).

Manatee 5, Bartow 0

TOP PLAYER: M, Trevor Viera (2 hits).

PITCHING: M, Jake Rodriguez (WP).

Out-of-Door 6, Lemon Bay 5

TOP PLAYERS: ODA, Nevan Hernandez (3-4, 2B, R), Nolan Naese (1-1, HR, 2RBI, R), Aidan Marino (1-4, HR, RBI, R).

PITCHING: ODA, Josh Cone (4IP, 2ER, 6K).

SOFTBALL

Venice 6, Braden River 1

TOP PLAYERS: V, Karsyn Rutherford (2-4), Taylor Halback (2-3, HR, 2B, 2RBI), Micaela Hartman (2-3, RBI); BR, Jada Phillips (1-3, HR, RBI) .

PITCHING: V, Layne Preece (WP).

RECORD: Venice (10-0).

Lake Brantley 11, Lakewood Ranch 0

AT: Lake Brantley High.

TOP PLAYER: LR, Cassidy McLellan (3-3, SB).

PITCHING: LR, Ella Dodge (7-1, 3IP, 5H, 2ER, 4K).

OF NOTE: It was the first time Lakewood Ranch was shut out in three years and the first time the Mustangs lost by the 10-run rule in six years.

RECORDS: Lakewood Ranch (9-1); Lake Brantley (8-0).

BOYS LACROSSE

Sarasota 10, Palm Harbor University 9

AT: Palm Harbor University.

TOP PLAYERS: S, Fabiel Ortega (winning 10 of 14 faceoffs, 2 shots, assist and 8 ground balls), Carter Mihailoff (4 goals, 4 shots, assist, ground ball), Max Farrugia (2 goals, 2 assists, 5 shots), Dylan Martin (3 shots, 2 goals, 2 GBs, assist).

NEXT: St. Petersburg at Sarasota on Friday on Senior Night.

Bishop Verot 16, Venice 6

AT: Venice High.

TOP PLAYERS: V, Jack Clarkson (2 goals), Nathan Rockwood (goal, assist), Travis Hicks (goal, assist).

GOALIES: V, Alex Ptaszek (10 saves), Caleb Hess (5 saves).

RECORD: Venice (2-4),

GIRLS LACROSSE

Manatee 17, Bloomingdale 6

TOP PLAYERS: M, Penelope May (7 goals, assist, 3 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers), Grace Knowles (4 goals, assist, 4 ground balls, 3 draw controls), Sydney Morrison (2 goals, 2 ground balls, 3 draw controls, 1 caused turnover), Cara Carter (2 goals, 1 ground ball).

RECORD: Manatee (7-1).

NEXT: Riverview at Manatee, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

BOYS TENNIS

Venice 7, North Port 0

AT: Venice High.

SINGLES — Aravind Rajeev (V) def. Xander Bieniek 6-1, 6-1; Simon Ayer (V) def. Danny Bullock 6-1, 6-2; Grant Burroughs (V) def. Hector Torres 6-1, 6-3; Hayden Guthrie (V) def. J.T. Geier 6-2, 6-0; Jack Cady (V) def. Tyler Mann...6-3, 6-2.

DOUBLES — Evan VanBuskirk / Guthrie (V) def. Bieniek / Bullock 5-4 (11-9), 4-0; Ayer / Burroughs (V) def. Torres/Geier 4-1, 4-2.

RECORD: Venice (10-3).

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: Riverview scores late to knock off Mustangs, 4-1