Miami Springs Tops Reagan For District 8A-14 Victory

Solid pitching gave way to effective hitting as Miami Springs beat Ronald Reagan 11-6 on Thursday in District 8A-14.

The game started off with both teams dominating on the mound and shutting out batters. Neither club budged an error nor a run until the third inning, where it became evident whose arm would give in first.

Raul Cortes was looking good at the top of the third inning, after striking out Pedro Rivera and getting an assist on Domingo Cedano. But the junior starter began to give way to the Golden Hawks’ batters. Cortes would go on to hit Julio Mendez,  and then allow a base hit off the bat of Juan Kirk. A drawn out battle with power hitter Austin Voeller exhausted his arm in what ended up being a walk.

“Our strength is hitting,” said Reagan first-year Manager J.C. Huguet. “I always knew from the beginning that our weakness is pitching and defense, and it really showed today.”

Cortes finished the third only allowing one run and one hit, but the onslaught didn’t begin until the fourth, where things began to gloom for Reagan.

Huguet withdrew Cortes in the fourth inning, knowing that the junior’s arm needed rest, and called upon his catcher to relieve him. The switch had an unfortunate turn for Reagan, which then allowed four hits and five runs, leaving the Bison in a 6-0 deficit.

Miami Springs’ starting pitcher, Nick Bello, also gave confidence to the Golden Hawks’ hitting barrage after getting Reagan’s first three batters out on the third and having two strikeouts and an assist in the fourth. But the momentum shifting in the fifth when Reagan scored six runs to cut the deficit to 7-6.

But the game would turn the tables and surprise everyone when Ronald Reagan would have a productive six run inning in the bottom of the fifth, catching up to the Golden Hawk’s 6-7.

“They came back.” Said Bello, who was relieved later in the inning by Chris Losado. ” Their a good ball club. They came back and got six [runs] in that inning. It went from an easy game to a dog fight.”

The inning gave hope to the home team, after having five consecutive hits and going through the lineup. The Bison’s would survive the mercy-rule, sobering the Golden Hawks from what they believed was going to be a short game.

Miami Spring’s manager, Willie Vazquez, foresaw the elated Bison’s hitting spree and made a smart change in the pitching staff, switching to his number two ace, Raciel Crespo. Reagan’s bats became despondent to the pitching change and had trouble going over Miami Springs’ sublime defense. The sixth inning finished quiet, after the Golden Hawks shut down the next three batters in order and turning impressive plays in the infield including shortstop, Domingo Cedano’s diving catch which ended the inning.

“My defense has been the best today it’s been all season,” said Vazquez, who was happy with the outstanding win that his team came back for.

Miami Springs would then take out the final three batters in order and finish the ball game with their second district win. The Hawks have their eyes set on Coral Gables and Goleman, who they believe will be their top competition in the district and will be vying for the district championship.

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