TERRA Wins First Playoff Game In School History

TERRA Manager Hernan Adames was so overcome with pride and emotion that he could barely contain himself.

In only its second season playing varsity baseball, his young club had just won the biggest game in the school’s four-year history.

The host Wolves staved off a late rally to hold on for a tough 3-1 victory over Doral Academy in the 4A-15 playoff semifinal, played Tuesday afternoon at Paul Demie Mainieri Field at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens.

TERRA (11-12) will play in its first-ever district championship on Thursday, where it will face top seed LaSalle, after the Lions won 8-4 in Tuesday’s other semifinal.

The team also earns a berth in the Class 4A regional playoffs, which begin next week.

“Tomorrow we’ve got to get back to work, because the season continues next week,” Adames said with joy following the victory. “I believe there is a purpose, when you go out on the first day of practice, to give your boys an opportunity to be able to go to the big dance. Getting to the championship in districts, for us, is huge.”

Just as has been the case with this district all season, this contest was a tight one that came right down to the wire.

In the top of the seventh the Firebirds (12-12-1) made one final push after Mauricio Gotera was hit by a pitch and Brandon Gonzalez followed with a single to shallow right field to represent the tying run at first base with only one out.

Gotera was replaced by pinch-runner Nelson Montilla, who then found himself ninety feet from home plate when Miguel Casanueva singled up the middle to load the bases.

But the Wolves induced an infield groundball that was thrown home for the force out, and then the runner collided with the catcher on what was ruled to be an illegal hit which resulted in the final out of the game being called.

On a play that likely will be talked about for years to come between these two budding rivals, in the end both Adames and Doral Manager Steve Iglesias ultimately agreed that it was just unfortunate that the game had to end on such a play after the tough way it was played all the way throughout.

“They had us twice in the year, and once it was close like this. I felt we were going to come out and fight hard like we did,” Iglesias said. “We had situations in the game and we didn’t take advantage of them, and they did. It just hurts, especially after the way we fought all year, to end it here like this hurts.”

The Firebirds had come into the district tournament as the defending 4A-15 champs, having beaten the Wolves in this same round of play a year ago.

But now the team must begin to set its sights on next season.

“We’ve got a lot of guys coming back and we just need to work harder for next year,” Iglesias said, while also reflecting on the accomplishment of his opponent. “Hernan is a good guy and he’s done a tremendous job with that team. I’m happy for him. I wish the situations were reversed, but I’m happy for them.”

For the Wolves, none could possibly be happier than starting pitcher Alexis Valladares. The sophomore left-hander worked into the seventh inning, scattering six hits while allowing just one earned run to improve to 5-4 on the year with his biggest victory of his young high school career.

After missing last season due to injury, the young ace was just thankful for this chance.

“It shows a lot of confidence in me,” Valladares said. “I go out there and do my best and show them that they’ve made the right decision putting the ball in my hands. The first inning or two, I was a little rattled, but after that I just settled in. The curveball was good, the changeup was helping a lot, and my defense was good to support me.”

Of the 94 pitches he threw, 63 of them found the zone as Valladares finished with four strikeouts. After the game he admitted he found extra adrenalin and motivation in facing the team that had ended their season a year ago, a team they respect and have worked so hard for this second chance with them.

“This team has come so far and worked so hard for this moment right here,” Valladares said. “Doral is a solid team and we wanted to face them here so we could get some revenge from last year. I was just trying to get ahead and then finish them off. I was trying to go the whole game and get my team the win. That’s what it’s all about.”

After their ace fell just short of that goal, the team turned to an unlikely but reliable source to close it out in bringing in sophomore Tyler Pritchard, who earned the save in his first relief appearance of the season.

“He’s a starter and he never, ever has come in relief on the year,” Adames said. “But this is a huge game. There’s no tomorrow, so we’ve got to go after it with the best two guys we have.”

The Firebirds also had come out to play with plenty of faith in their starter, right-hander Alexis Davila. The senior kept the Wolves scoreless until the fifth inning, throwing 87 pitches over four and two-third innings and recording three strikeouts.

Davila ran into trouble in loading the bases in both the third and fourth innings only to work his way out of it each time, including an inning-ending play in the fourth when first baseman Ryan Gronlier made an impressive scoop on a low throw to first base on the putout.

But after the Wolves again worked the bases full in the fifth frame, the team used a combination of speed and patience as the scoreless contest finally broke open.

“He battled. Three innings with bases loaded and he got out of it twice,” Iglesias said. “Unfortunately he did not get the calls here and there, and he walked a couple of guys. But it was an overall good performance. It’s been like that all year; one bounce this way or that way and it could have been a different ball game.”

Valladares ignited the fifth-inning rally to back himself on the mound, as he placed a hit perfectly into shallow center field and then raced to second base ahead of the throw for a one-out double. Rueben Pino then caught a piece of a pitch to roll it onto the infield grass, and he then raced down the baseline to beat the throw to first and put runners on the corners.

With a base open, the Firebirds elected to walk Alex Saavedra and play for the force out, but that plan went awry as the next two batters drew walks to give TERRA a lead it would never relinquish.

Angel Mestre then added a sacrifice flyout that brought home Saavedra and put the Wolves up 3-0.

“The guys showed discipline at the plate,” Adames said. “Something we have preached throughout the season is we’re going to need quality at bats and get deep into the count to squeeze that pitcher and see if he can give us an extra base. We didn’t quite hit like we’re capable of doing, but we did what we’re supposed to do to get on base and execute.”

Doral showed plenty of fight to stay in it, starting right there in that fifth inning as reliever Andy Navarette made a nice pickoff move to third base to end the inning and avoid any further damage.

The Firebirds than cracked the scoreboard to inch closer in the top of the sixth.

Shortstop Alejandro Juvier crushed a shot deep to center field and then raced around the bases for a leadoff triple, and then came home when Carlos Pino delivered a deep shot for a sacrifice flyout RBI for what would be the final run of the game.

Juvier was 2-for-3 on the day, the only batter for either club to collect multiple hits.

For TERRA, the chance these players have to write their own history books for their program is an exciting opportunity that is not lost on the team or the coaches.

With a program that is run by such a respected man as Hernan Adames, even as LaSalle Manager Oscar Benitez prepares to play him for the district title on Thursday he could not help but feel happy to be facing them.

“I’m looking forward to TERRA; Hernan is a great friend of mine,” Benitez said. “He’s a great coach and he has great kids, and we expect another dogfight.”

Coach Adames admonished what a great victory Tuesday’s result was simply in the fact that they beat such a quality opponent in Doral Academy. But now that opportunity has come knocking, Adames cannot help but strive for the best possible ending.

“From day one we told them we are young but we can advance. All we’ve got to do is get to the district championship,” Adames said. “The key is it’s not over. Let’s be a Cinderella story, go as far as you can do. I believe in you. We’ve done it already. We can go out there and compete with anybody.”

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