Alexis Herrera Deals One-Hitter As Hialeah Defeats Palmetto 3-0

Alexis Herrera pitched a complete-game one-hitter as the Hialeah Thoroughbreds made quick work of Palmetto, dismissing the 8A District 16 first-place Panthers 3-0 Thursday in a game that lasted just over an hour and a half.

“This was our best pitching performance of the year,” said Cody Fulton, who knocked in a run for the T-Breds. “(Herrera) painted the strike zone and threw a great game. He knows how to use his pitches and listens to the coaches. It was just a good team effort all around.”

Fulton finished 2-for-3, Nestor Cortes had two hits leading off and Jeffrey Izquierdo had an RBI for Hialeah. Alian Silva knocked in a run and made an incredible spinning catch-and-throw in the seventh inning that garnered a huge applause from the crowd.

“I just wanted to get the win for our pitcher. He pitched a great game,” Silva said about the play in the seventh. “I had the confidence to step up and make the play because I knew my outfielder had my back.”

Silva would need no help, as he spun and got the ball to first just in time, one of several clutch plays in the field from the T-Breds.

“It seems that every time we turn around, we have to prove ourselves,” Michael Fulton said about facing the first-place Panthers. “We have stepped up to the challenge every time by putting together a game plan and sticking to it. We’ve been getting some great pitching, timely hitting and making the plays we’re supposed to in the field.”

The humble Herrera, who made his first career varsity start as a freshmen against Palmetto last season, pointed to his coaches and team as the reason for his success.

“I owe everything to (pitching coach) Jim Hernandez,” Herrera said. “He called a great game, and I just trusted myself. We followed the game plan, worked inside and kept my change up low. Plus (the infielders) made some great plays.”

Hialeah put together a great performance, but first-year Palmetto coach Danny Smith was disappointed with his team’s effort.

“I’m OK with losses. It’s the way we lost,” Smith said. “We sat an hour in traffic to get here just to put forth a weak effort. I just wasn’t happy with the way we carried ourselves.”

The Panthers (12-6, 6-2 8A-16) look to bounce back at Coral Reef on Tuesday before closing their regular-season schedule by hosting South Dade.

The Thoroughbreds (15-2, 7-0 8A-13) are coasting to what could be a second straight state title. They have four games remaining, with the next coming Wednesday at home against American.

Leave a comment using your facebook account!