Sanchez, Hialeah Miami Lakes Stymie Mourning Senior

Coach Mario Morffy wasn’t taking the Mourning Senior Sharks lightly by sitting his top two pitchers. He knew Senior Bryan Sanchez could carry the load. Bryan Sanchez gave up just two hits and struck out eight batters, holding Mourning Senior to just one run as Hialeah Miami Lakes won 8-1 on Thursday.

The Trojans improved to 2-0 on the season and District 6A-16 play.

The Trojans came into Pepper Park on this Valentine’s Day showing no love nor mercy as they took advantage of every mistake while recording 12 hits.

“Excellent ball game all the way around,” Morffy said. “I saved my top two pitchers for our next game, but our number three guy pitched a heck of a game.”

Third basemen Jose Mora got things started offensively for the Trojans as he belted a two-run homer over center field, giving Hialeah Miami Lakes the early lead.

“I just tried to stay inside the ball like coach always says,” Mora said. “It’s really important for our team to get these big plays because we feed off of that.”

The Trojans offense picked up again in the third inning after Brandon Morffy was hit by a pitch. Mora knocked another pitch to left center, falling just in front of the fence for an RBI double. Joshua Vizcaino walked before Enrique Cardenas grounded out for the first out of the inning, but Cardenas was able to send Mora home for another run. Sanchez followed with an RBI single, bringing in Vizcaino and finishing off a three-run inning.

Sanchez gave up his first hit in the third inning after Alex Vallejo was able to squeeze a hit passed the infield, but Sanchez recorded his second strikeout and forced a fly ball to get out of the inning.

Fernando Barot joined in on the hitting for the Trojans in the fourth inning, Barot struck a pitch to right field for a stand-up double. Morffy singled, putting Barot in scoring position. Mora then cranked another deep shot to left field, bringing in Barot. Mora finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

Hialeah Miami Lakes’ Mateo Cuecha singled up the middle to start the fifth inning, and Marcus Smith also had a base hit. Osmani Oliva followed and rolled a bunt down the left-field line for a single. With a runner on third and no outs in the inning, Barot came to the plate and executed a sacrifice fly, bringing in Cuecha for an 8-0 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Sanchez found himself in some trouble after he walked Steven Cepeda and Andrew Feldman. Jose Reyes singled, bringing in Cepeda for the Sharks’ only run of the night. Sanchez, however, found his zone and forced a groundout and a strikeout to end the inning.

“My fastball and my curve ball were working for me,” Sanchez said. “I was confident the whole time because I knew I had great defense behind me. Our goal is to win districts.”

Sanchez recorded four straight strikeouts, including three in a row in the seventh inning to end the game.

Despite the lose, Sharks coach Edwin Bonilla knows his team will rebound.

“I’m a little disappointed,” Bonilla said. “I know we can play better than we did today. We weren’t focused today, but we’ll get back to basics and be OK.”

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