Fernandez’s Grand Slam Lifts Patriots Over Rival Warriors

In one of the most storied rivalries in Miami-Dade high school baseball, the Florida Christian Patriots just closed another chapter after Tuesday’s playoff battle.

Michael Fernandez’s game-changing grand slam in the bottom of the third inning propelled the host Patriots to a 7-4 victory over the Warriors (17-9-1) in a front of a packed house at Patriot Field in the Region 3A semifinal Tuesday in Olympia Heights.

“Every time we play these guys its a battle,” Florida Christian Manager Chris Brigman said. “Our guys just kept grinding like we have all year long and we were blessed to get that big inning with Fernandez and the big hit.”

The Patriots (16-11) have had the Warriors’ number as of late, having won the last four meetings going back to last season’s district championship game.

Westminster Christian (17-9-1) got off to a great start, scoring two runs in the top of the first to put some early pressure on the Patriots.

Florida Christian responded in the bottom of the first with one out and runners on second and third, Junior Erik Montero hit a grounder to second that allowed Mike Tosar to score to cut the Warriors lead to 2-1.

After a scoreless second inning Florida Christian’s offense came up in a big way in the bottom of the third. After Tosar led off with a single, two batters later Jack Diaz reached base on an error to put runners on the corners. The next batter Montero was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.

Catcher Zach San Roman was the next batter and he connected on an RBI single up the middle to tie the score at 2-2 with the bases still loaded for Fernandez.

With hundreds of fans packed tight in the bleachers, Fernandez sent the packed house into a frenzy when drove a pitch deep into left field for the grand slam to put the Patriots up 6-2 before the end of the third inning.

“I was looking fastball, I always look fastball and I just turned on it,” Fernandez said. “It felt great..It was the best feeling.”

Florida Christian added one more in the bottom of the fourth thanks to legs of their shortstop Tosar. After drawing a walk with one out, Tosar stole second base to put himself in scoring position. Freshman Ruben Someilian grounded out to short to move Tosar to third before a wild pitch allowed him to scamper home and put the score at 7-2 Florida Christian.

At the end of the fourth, Westminster Christian responded with some offense in the fifth.

After Senior John Ruiz drew a lead off walk, Senior Luis Touron followed up with a single to right to put runners on first and second. The next batter Julian Infante drew a walk to load the bases and give the Warriors a chance to get right back in the game.

With the bases loaded Brigman decided it was time for change, so he switched starter Christian Pelaez in favor of Alex Valverde.

“Coming out here after the first inning I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff,” Pelaez said. “But once that happens you have to leave it all on the defense and the hitting and I have do whatever I have to do to get a win.”

After a strikeout, the next batter Yuri Sucart drew a bases loaded walk to bring home Ruiz and put the Warriors down 7-3.

Westminster Christian added one more run in the next at-bat when Tito Torres hit a fly ball to left field with one out. The runner on third Touron, tagged up but the relay throw to home plate sailed high and bounced off the backstop allowing Touron to slide safe at home putting the score at 7-4.

However, Valverde kept his composure and forced the next batter to ground out to second to end the inning.

“You have capitalize when you have them on the ropes and throw the knockout punch and we didn’t today,” Westminster Christian Manager Emil Castellanos said.

The Warriors loaded the bases again in the top of the sixth with one out but this time the Patriots held firm, with Valverde recording a strikeout then a bases loaded force out at third to end the inning.

Valverde sealed the win in the seventh for Florida Christian after allowing walk then forcing the six-four-three double play and recording a strike out two batters later to send send the Patriots to the regional final.

Valverde pitched three innings striking out three to preserve the win for Pelaez.

“We’re just blessed to be in the position that we’re in and we’ve got two days to get prepared for a good Coral Springs Christian team coming in and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” Brigman said.

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