Lavandero Allows Just One Hit As Belen Jesuit Eliminates Pines Charter

Alex Lavandero pitched a complete-game one-hitter to pace Belen Jesuit in its 10-0 win over Pembroke Pines Charter on Thursday in a Class 6A regional quarterfinal.

Belen Jesuit captured hits early and took advantage of runners in scoring position to bolster Lavandero, who faced 19 batters.

“I came in and I told myself I wasn’t going to lose.” Lavandero said. “I knew what I was going for. This win definitely sends a message.”

The Belen Jesuit Wolverines got an 11-hit performance to carry them to Tuesday’s regional semifinal at Archbishop McCarthy.

“Just a Fantastic team win,” Wolverines coach Jerry Albert said. “We were terrific on the mound, excellent batting, and defensively, we were sound. We just tried to get them on, get them over and get them in.”

Alex DeGoti got the offense started for the Wolverines in the first inning. DeGoti sent a pitch for a one-way ticket past the left-field wall, giving the Wolverines their first run of the game.

William Fabra led off to start the second inning for the Wolverines and hit a line drive to right field that bounced behind the Pines fielder for a single. Fabra took advantage of a wild pitch and made his way to second base and in position for a Gilbert Delgado strike to right field that sent him home for a two-run lead.

The Wolverines erupted in the fourth. Hernandez singled up the middle, and Fabra drove him in with a double. David Diaz-Fernandez walked before Delgado smacked a shot toward the mound that got away from the pitcher, loading the bases for Lorenzo.

With the bases loaded, Lorenzo drove in Fabra and Diaz with his double to left field. Joey Rodriguez then pulled a pitch down the left-field line, bringing in Delgado and Lorenzo for a five-run inning and a 7-0 lead.

Lavandero found himself in trouble in the fifth when fatigue set in. Jorge Marrero was hit by a pitch, Pines Charter’s Cody Fuchs then hit a single to left field for the Jaguars only hit of the game. Another pitch slipped away from Lavandero and put Jesse Gonzalez on first by way of a hit-by-pitch, loading the bases with one out. But Lavandero found his spot and threw two strikeouts to shut down the rally.

“My fastball wasn’t working for me,” Lavandero said. “I just kept it low and off speed and just hit my spots.”

Hernandez led off with a double to start the bottom of the fifth. Fabra then belted a shot for his third hit of the game, bringing in Hernandez. Elias Monsalve followed with a ground rule double, Pines Charter then loaded the bases and forced two outs, but Joey Rodriguez belted a pitch down the left-field line, driving in Fabra and Monsalve to end the game.

“We try to keep it simple,” Albert said. “We just broke the game into simple steps, breaking it down into your at-bats, and that what we’ll do against whoever we wind up playing.”

Pines Charter coach Carlos Iglesias said the loss was not representative of his team and the effort it gave this season.

“One game doesn’t define what you’ve done all season,” Iglesias said. “Belen came ready to play, and they played a great game, but one game doesn’t sum up what we did this season. I’m very proud of my team, and my coaching staff for what they’ve done. Every year, we find a way to get our kids ready, and I’m not worried that we’ll back next year.”

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