Goleman Hands TERRA Institute Its First Loss
Ozzie Millet connects on a pitch during his first at-bat against Goleman on Friday afternoon.
As the temperature began to drop in South Florida, the Goleman Gator bats began to heat up. On an overcast day at Hammocks Park in Kendall, the Gators used some timely hits and stellar defense to defeat previously unbeaten TERRA Institute 8-3.
“Our pitching wasn’t on today, but the hitting showed up a little bit,” Goleman Manager Jose Lopez said.
Fresh off a tough 5-4 loss to Miami Springs on Wednesday, the Gators (6-2, 2-2 District 8A-14) had an opportunity to get the bad taste out of their mouths Thursday and they didn’t squander it.
Goleman was able to get runners on base early in the game after the first two batters, Erick Delgado and Joshua Guia drew walks in the top of the first. The next batter Rolando Martinez hit a grounder to the shortstop Yasser Santana who made the heads up play by tagging Delgado out before he was able to reach third base.
With runners on first and second still, catcher Jose Santos sporting number 18 instead of his usual number 35, delivered with a single that allowed Guia to score from second for Goleman’s first run. The next batter, Javier Perdomo followed up with a double to right-field that allowed Martinez to score and put Goleman up 2-0. The Wolves got out of the inning with after Kevin Gomez hit a line drive out to Santana at short, who made a heads up play by throwing out the base runner on third who couldn’t get back in time to tag up.
The Wolves (5-1, 2-0 District 4A-15) struck back at the bottom of the frame with the help of Santana’s speed. After drawing the leadoff walk, the sophomore stole second base and eventually scored when freshman Ozzie Millet hit an RBI single to right to bring the score to 2-1 after the first.
The Gators responded with two more runs in the second after Michael Barreneche and Cory Garrastazu walked to start the inning. Barreneche would score when Jonathan Jhones hit a grounder to third but the third baseman’s throw to first sailed high allowing Goleman to go up 3-1. The Wolves kept their composure however, when they forced Goleman into a 6-4-3 double play to stop the bleeding.
Things got interesting in the bottom of the third for the TERRA Institute. The Wolves had the bases loaded after Santana and Alex Saavedra walked, and junior Rueben Pino was hit by a pitch. With one out and a chance to take control of the game, Millet hit a deep fly ball to left hit well enough to allow Santana score from third and put the score at 4-2.
With players in the dugout and the crowd cheering him on, junior Angel Mestre had a chance to change the game with one swing. Mestre smacked a ball to the warning track in left field but Martinez was there to make a leaping highlight reel catch at the wall to end the inning and turn the momentum back to Goleman’s favor.
“That ball goes by [Martinez] it’s a tie game, or maybe they go-ahead,” Lopez said about how that play impacted the game.
The Wolves hung tough when they struck again in the bottom of the fifth. After Pino was hit by another pitch, Saavedra hit a double that allowed Pino to score from first and bring the score to 4-3 at the end of the fifth. Saavedra finished the game 1-for-1 with an RBI, a double, and two walks. Millet finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a double.
The Wolves were able hold Goleman scoreless for three consecutive innings but the Gators started to pull away late in the game. After Barreneche walked to lead off the top of the sixth inning, Garrastazu hit a double to put runners at second and third. The next batter Jhones, laid down a well-executed sacrifice bunt up the first base line to allow the Gators to add another run in the sixth and put the Goleman up 5-3.
With Barraneche on the mound in relief, the Gators retired the side in the bottom of sixth with a chance to extend the lead in the final inning.
After Martinez led the inning off with a double, Santos hitting from the cleanup spot, delivered the final blow, a two-run home run to left-center field to put the Gators up 7-3. Coach Lopez gave Santos some special instructions before the big at-bat.
Goleman players celebrate after Jose Santos two-run home run in the seventh inning.
“I gave him the green light and I personally told him to look for the fence,” he said. “I don’t give that many green lights and he took it and hit it out.”
Santos finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI and the home run, and Barreneche scored three runs while recording six consecutive outs to seal the win for Goleman. Despite the victory Lopez believes his team has yet to hit their stride.
“I still believe that we can play a lot better than what we are right now,” he said.
The Gators will have a tough challenge when they face three-time defending state champion Archbishop McCarthy next Monday in Southwest Ranches.
For the young Wolves, the first loss was a tough pill to swallow but they know there are a lot of games left to be played.
“We dwell on execution and that’s what the motto has been so far this season,” Terra Institute Manager Hernan Adames said. “It’s a little disappointing but my boys are growing up.”
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