ATM Sharks Use A Fast Start To Defeat Norland

It has been a season of growing pains for the Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Sharks so far. In their first season of district play, the young Sharks have been tested playing in one of the more competitive districts in District 16-6A.

Driven by a six-run first inning, the Sharks (3-8, 3-7) ended Norland’s two-game winning streak, defeating the Vikings 14-3 in five innings at Scott Park Thursday to move within two games of Westland Hialeah for fourth place in the district.

“Today we got back to the fundamentals and now we’re just trying to get back on a winning streak,” Mourning Manager Edwin Bonilla said. “It’s definitely a big district win for us.”

Despite a late push from the Vikings (5-9, 2-9), senior pitcher Chris Contreras went the distance, allowing three runs, three hits, with six strikeouts in five innings for the Sharks. Junior First baseman Nick Zambrano went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk. Sophomore center fielder Carlos Zulueta went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

“I started off pretty well today finding the strike zone and throwing strikes,” Contreras said. “I gave up three runs in the third inning but I picked it up after that by just throwing strikes.”

The Sharks were aggressive at the plate to start the game. Mourning scored 12 runs in the first three innings to spot Contreras a comfortable lead.

In the top of the first inning, leadoff hitter Steven Cepeda reached first after a passed ball on strike three. Sophomore Andrew Velez singled in the next at-bat to put runners on first and second.

When Mourning went for a double steal, the catcher’s throw sailed past the third baseman’s glove into the outfield to allow Cepeda to score. After Junior Alex Vallejo walked to put runners on first and second, Junior Andrew Feldman belted a single up the middle to score Velez from second base.

Zulueta kept the rally going with a single to right that scored Vallejo. After Zulueta stole second to put two runners in scoring position, Zambrano laced a two-run single to put the Sharks up 5-0 before the first out of the game.

After Norland pitcher Sensi Jarvis got the first out with a grounder back to the mound, the Sharks added one more in the first when junior left fielder Jean-Louis Navarro tagged an RBI double before the Vikings recorded the next two outs to end the first.

“Today I think we started off really well,” Vallejo said. “We put the ball in play and some guys that were struggling earlier in the season put some good hits on the ball.”

Despite the slow start, the Norland offense showed some life in the bottom of the third inning.

After Shortstop Kevin Harris led off the inning with a walk, center fielder Deshawn Simpkins hit a grounder to shortstop but used his speed to force a wild throw that went out of play allowing the baserunners to advance to second and third.

The next batter, left fielder Rashad Fenton hit an RBI single to bring home Harris for Norland’s first run. Junior Felix Delacruz kept the momentum going by hitting a ground out up the middle that allowed Simpkins to score from third.

Senior James McKenney scored Fenton with a ground out to first base before the Sharks could stop the momentum.

Fenton finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and stolen base, while Simpkins finished 1-for-3 with a run scored.

“You saw the small ball, the bunting, stealing, and running that’s how we win games,” Norland Manager Dave Dresner said. “Because we couldn’t do that and field the ball we lost and we’ll lose every game until we play small baseball and field routine ground balls.”

The Vikings have the next week off and resume play with a district battle at Hialeah-Miami Lakes on April 2nd.

The Sharks will travel down to Homestead to face South Dade on Friday, before they head North for a Spring Break tournament in Sanford.

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