Springs Emerges Victorious In See-Saw Battle With Goleman

Madison Krietner dealt four innings of three-run ball and Alberto Rivera went 3-for-3 with a homer and a walk as the Miami Springs Golden Hawks survived a back-and-forth battle to grab their fifth straight win, 6-3 over the Goleman Gators on Thursday.

“Our kids didn’t give up,” said assistant coach Julio Mendez, filling in for head coach Jason Morris. “Their intensity level was up, they played good defense and took advantage of a couple of walks and hit batters.”

Springs, coming off a 5-4 win over Reagan on Tuesday, got on the board first when Darian Salazar’s RBI single brought in Rivera in the bottom of the first. Rivera hammer a soaring blast in his next at-bat on a hanging curve to extend the lead to 2-0 after three innings.

“I was thinking curve ball all the way,” Rivera said following the game. “I said to myself ‘If he hangs it, I’m going to hit it hard.’ That’s exactly what I did. He hung the first pitch, and I took it deep.”

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Gators loaded the bases and scored three runs in the next frame, taking the lead on a passed ball that made it 3-2. The resilient Golden Hawks took it in stride and capitalized on a series of walks coupled with a hit-by-pitch to jump right back up for good with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.

“Our pitcher just wasn’t ‘on’ today,” Gators head coach Jose Fernandez said. “We played a good team today, but there were some plays we didn’t make that could have really turned it around.”

The Gators loaded the bases again with two outs in the fifth but failed to get back ahead despite out-hitting Springs 9-6. Springs pitchers were able to work into and out of trouble, however. Krietner & company, it appears, had done their homework.

“I focused on their big bats, the number four and number five hitters in their lineup,” Krietner said. “With number four, I was staying away and using a lot of off-speed because he tends to hit the inside pitch well. With number five, he’s a lefty, so I tried to go with change-ups that tailed away from him. Then with two strikes, I like to throw my high fastball. Its at their eyes, so they tend to swing.”

The Golden Hawks (9-3, 5-2 8A-14) look to keep their streak going hosting 2-12 Miami Senior.

After starting the season 10-1-1, the Gators (10-4-1, 6-1) look to avoid their fourth loss in six tries at Hialeah-Miami Lakes in a quick turnaround Friday.

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