Title Quest Falls Short As Spartans Fall 7-5 In 4A Final

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It wasn’t the medal that they wanted to have hanging around their necks.

It was a performance worthy of the stage it was on, even if the final result was not in their favor.

Facing undefeated defending state champion Pensacola Catholic, Monsignor Pace went punch-for-punch for eight tough rounds before falling 7-5 in eight innings in Tuesday night’s Class 4A state title bout.

As the Spartans stood on the field at jetBlue Park in Fort Myers for the awards ceremony that followed their extra-inning defeat to the Crusaders (30-0), even the pain of the loss could not undo the pride they carried in knowing that they had played like champions.

“It’s a storybook season for them and a heart-breaker for us,” Spartans Manager Tom Duffin said. “We had a great year, and we just fell an inning short. It was two evenly-matched teams and I’m just super proud of the guys and how they played. It could have gone either way. It could have been one loss for them and we win the championship. You have to tip your hat to them; they are the defending champs and they had an undefeated season.”

Pensacola Catholic got a big two-out shot deep to the wall in left field from James McGhee that plated the deciding runs in the top of the eighth inning.

The Spartans (23-7-1) had gone punch for punch to put the champs back on their heels late in the contest, and were just unable to mount one last rally to respond.

“We had a bunch of seniors who were not willing to give up and die. They just went out there and played hard to the end,” said Duffin. “I wish I was giving a different speech right now, but I am just super proud of the guys.”

Playing in the 14th title game in program history, the Spartans were forced to wait even longer in their quest for the team’s seventh state title after thunderstorms pushed the start of the game up to 10 PM. Then the team battled back from a three-run deficit to show the champs that they had yet to face an opponent quite like them.

“We came here knowing we had to play our game,” said shortstop Bryan Bermudez. “We showed up like we wanted to win. They are a good team and I tip my hat to them.”

Just as he has so many times before throughout both this season, as well as throughout his entire Spartans career, clean-up hitter Brandon Gomez came through with the big hit that swung the momentum to the home team’s side late in the game.

Coming to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning with John Vicente and Bermudez on base, Gomez needed just one swing of the bat to turn the tide.

With a full count and the runners going, Gomez connected on a no-doubter that sailed high and deep over the left field Green Monster for a three-run home run that evened the score at five runs apiece and ignited the Spartans.

“I was just trying to get a hit at that moment right there,” said Gomez of his towering blast that carried higher and farther than any other longball sent over the monster during this week’s state tournament games. “He gave me a pitch to hit and I just put a good swing on it. That was the best moment of my life right there.”

Vicente reached on an infield error leading off and Bermudez chopped one high over third for a single to put two runners on to eventually bring Gomez to the plate. Even on a team full of big-game talent, Gomez has been the primary guy who constantly provides the spark the team needs to pull out any victory.

“After that hit, I thought we had it right there,” said Gomez. “We came back and the momentum was on our side. We just played a great ball club. They are a great team and they’re undefeated for a reason. They got the hit when they needed to. It was a great game, probably the best I’ve ever played in. I’m so proud of my teammates and we’ve just got to keep our heads up high.”

The Crusaders scored a run in each of the first five innings, and looked to be in control for much of the earlier part of the contest. For a team that had not lost since last season’s district championship, Pensacola Catholic seemed to have dialed up the same number that has worked for them since that time.

But the Spartans had not come this far simply to lie down and accept defeat.

“We play for the name on our jerseys; we play for the Spartans,” said Bermudez. “Not everyone has this opportunity to be here playing for the championship.”

In the bottom of the second Gomez waited back on a 1-2 pitch and lined it up the middle for the Spartans first hit of the night. Anthony De La Cruz laced a single up the middle to put two runners on, before giving way to courtesy runner Derek Cartaya.

Austin Miro sent a 3-1 pitch rolling past the diving second baseman for an RBI single that brought Gomez around to put Pace on the board trailing 2-1.

Leroy Garcia lined one right back to the pitcher, who went to second for the putout. Cartaya scored to even things up on the fielder’s choice groundout when Garcia reached safely to first as the throw from second bounced short on the double-play attempt.

Bermudez singled to second on a ball that skipped into center field, where the center fielder McGhee arrived quickly to grab the ball and fire home to Tanner Halstead in time to gun down Garcia for the final out of the frame.

But the damage was done, as the Spartans had put up the first runs any team had managed against the Crusaders in this state tournament. Now Pensacola Catholic saw that an undefeated record and one trophy already sitting back in the school’s trophy case meant little to this team that had made it their mission to get to this point.

“We come out to play everyday,” said Gomez. “We have the love for our teammates like nothing else and we pick each other up when we need to. We’re there for each other and we come out here every time as a team.”

Alex Perez gave the team three and two-third innings on a gutsy performance that limited the damage against the vaunted Crusaders lineup. Right-hander Luis Deville came in to go the rest of the way, returning to action one night after the senior had helped rescue the team in relief in Monday’s semifinal comeback victory.

Deville ran into some trouble in the fifth when Pensacola Catholic scratched across another run on a sacrifice-flyout RBI from Evans Bozeman that drove home Zach Allen.

In the sixth Deville settled in to record two strikeouts, and Bermudez followed that up by racing across to scoop up a slow roller up the middle by JonJon Burkett and throw to Palenzuela in time for the putout that gave the Spartans their first 1-2-3 inning.

Deville also shut down the lineup in order in the seventh to turn things over to his offense.

Vicente led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an infield error, and then advanced to second on a great sacrifice bunt from Bermudez. Pazos drew a walk, and two batters later Gomez again came up with one more chance to add to his legacy.

This time it was Crusaders reliever Cooper Jones who came through in the big moment, notching a called third strike to end the biggest threat he had faced on the night. Jones earned the victory in both of Pensacola Catholic’s state tournament contests to finish 9-0 on the year.

With all the heart, grit and determination that the Spartans showed in the game, Jones embodied that same mettle that the entire Crusaders roster also exhibited in holding on to win a game that may also earn them a shot at the national title.

Meanwhile, Pace was left with a bitter-sweet taste in knowing they had reached the summit of the mountaintop they had braved all year long only to watch someone else plant a flag in the spot they had craved so badly for themselves.

Yet this mature and noble group could feel nothing but pride and joy not only in knowing that they had made it this far, but that they got to enjoy one last run together.

“We came here and it was a thrill that we made it here for the second time in a row,” said Deville. “There are a lot of seniors in this group and we’ve been together since we were seven. It’s meant a lot to us to be together for all these years. Coming here together meant a lot.”

The tradition and legacy that has come to define Pace baseball is something that matters to every member of this impressive ball club. Win or lose, the Spartans way is best shown by playing its final game at the state tournament and then letting the chips fall as they may.

“We’re always a contender. We always put out the best product we can,” said Gomez. “I’m fortunate enough to be part of this tradition. For those to come and those who were before, I’m proud to wear this uniform and I will always be a Spartan.”

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