Sardenas’ Walk-Off Home Run Lifts SW Miami Past LaSalle

As the temperatures plummeted throughout South Florida, the Eagles’ bats chose the perfect time to heat up against the Lasalle Royal Lions on Tuesday evening.

Freshman outfielder Hernen Sardinas belted a walk-off two-run shot over the fence in left field in the bottom of the seventh to propel Southwest (7-6-1, 4-4-1) over Lasalle (7-9, 3-1) 5-3 in the Selective Recruiting/Sir Pizza Invitational at Andre Dawson Field in Miami.

“We just battled,” Southwest Manager Josy Torres said. “It was a hard fought game, Lasalle is always competitive and their tough, we knew what to expect from them.”

The Eagles, one of the host teams in the tournament, struck first in the bottom of the first inning. After pitcher Robert Cancio struck out three straight batters in the top of the frame, his offense rewarded him with some run support.

After sophomore Danny Casals hit a lead off single to right, two batters later Left fielder Luis Gutierrez drew a walk to put runners on first and second with one out. The next batter Senior Chris Mourelle brung the first run home. After a passed ball allowed the runners to advance to second and third, Mourelle grounded a single past the shortstop’s glove to put the Eagles up 1-0 before the end of the first.

In the top of the second Lasalle responded with some offense of their own. After a strikeout and a fly out to start the inning, the Royal Lions delivered with two outs to take the lead. Senior Eric Valdez led off with a single up the middle to start the inning. Seniors Steven Fajardo and Yordan Piedra drew consecutive walks to load the bases before a wild pitch allowed Valdez to score from third.

Junior Nick Canino put Lasalle ahead when he hit an infield dribbler that the third baseman whiffed on allowing Fajardo to score. In the same play, Piedra tried to capitalize off the Eagles’ blunder by attempting to score from second but he was thrown out at the plate by shortstop Luis Aviles to end the inning after the Lions went up 2-1.

Lasalle didn’t score again until the seventh inning thanks to a stellar performance from Cancio and the Eagles’ defense. Cancio held the Lions scoreless before he was relieved in the top of the sixth by Senior Alex Perera. Cancio pitched five and one-third innings allowing two runs, six hits, with 10 strikeouts.

Southwest shook off the cold weather in the bottom of fifth with some instant offense. After Perera singled to right field to lead off the inning, Gutierrez gave the Eagles the lead with a two-run blast to the parking lot in left field to put the score at 3-2. Gutierrez finished 2-for-3 with a home run, and two RBIs.

After the home run the Eagles appeared to have the win sealed but the Royal Lions had other ideas. In the top of the seventh Piedra laid down a well executed bunt down the third-base line for a base hit. Lasalle caught a break in the next at-bat when Canino grounded to shortstop who got the force out at second but misfired on the throw to first to allow Canino to reach base. Canino finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base.

Canino stole second base to put the tying run in scoring position then Perera struck out the next batter to put the Eagles one out away from earning the victory. However, Senior Mike Avila kept LaSalle in the game when he lined a two-out single to right field to score Canino and tie the game at three before Perera struck out the next batter end the inning.

With the momentum on their side, Lasalle was prepped to send the game to extra innings but Southwest had other plans. After lead-off man Gutierrez flew out to right, Mourelle drew a walk to put the winning run on first. Lasalle relief pitcher Anders Gutierrez struck out the next batter for the second out and poised to send the game to extras.

However, the freshman Sardenas delivered the final blow, a towering fly ball over the fence in the left field to give Southwest the victory in walk-off fashion. Sardenas finished the game 2-for-3 with two-run home run and a walk.

“I had confidence in my swing and I just went up there and did my thing,” Gutierrez said.

The walk-off victory comes just a day after a mercy rule loss to the TERRA Institute.

We had a disappointing loss yesterday so its always good to back on track that way,” Torres said.

For LaSalle, it’s late game woes continue after giving up a 4-2 lead to Killian the day before to eventually lose 7-5.

“We’re playing good baseball we just can’t finish,” a disappointed Lasalle Manager Oscar Benitez said. “If we don’t start playing better baseball and finishing, it’s going to be a short season for us.”

The Royal Lions will continue tournament play Wednesday against Coral Reef at Monsignor Pace High School in Miami Gardens.

The Eagles will face the HSBN’s number two ranked Mater Academy Lions Wednesday at 7:30 at Southwest.

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