Miami Springs Wins District Showdown With Norland
Anthony Diaz scoring the final run for his team.
Coming into Wednesday’s afternoon baseball game, district rivals Norland and had followed different paths. The Vikings were on a winning streak after having won three straight by a combined total of 31-0, while the Golden Hawks had their morale down from letting a game slip away when they almost had won their last time out.
The District 6A-15 showdown went in favor of the home team, as the Golden Hawks beat their districts rival Vikings 9-3. Miami Springs (4-5) leveled its district record to 1-1, while the Vikings are now 1-2.
Aided by a pitching staff that hadn’t surrendered a single run in the last three games, Norland (6-2) looked poised to silence the bats of Miami Springs. Senior right-hander Cleveland Westbrook was coming off of throwing a perfect game his last time out, and he had lots of reasons to trust himself.
The starting pitchers for both teams looked extremely confident. The home team’s choice to start to counter Westbrook was David Cervantes. What he lacked in experience he made up for in guts and passion. Cervantes pitched a great game, keeping the Vikings lineup in check for seven innings, striking out eight batters and giving up only five hits.
“The pitching was phenomenal,” Manager Willie Vazquez said. “David Cervantes threw a great game today.”
David Cervantes pitched a complete game, limiting his opponents and striking out eight.
Westbrook seemed to be tired through the game, after the gem he pitched less than a week ago. Moreover, his defense didn’t help his cause by committing six errors.
“I wasn’t tired physically, I was tired mentally,” Westbrook said. “I try not to let the errors go by, I just couldn’t blow past them.”
Vikings Manager Dave Dresner said that it was kind of shocking to see his team play this way, since they usually are explosive offensively and around the bags.
“Defensively we are stellar and pitching wise we have been virtually unbeatable,” Dresner said. “Unfortunately, our stars can’t carry our team every game.”
The first inning was the decisive one for Miami Springs, scoring four runs that would dictate the contest. After three solid hits that scored a run, first baseman Austin Voeller followed by hitting a towering home run to right field.
After this Voeller was pitched to carefully. He finished the night with two walks, one intentional.
“I don’t really look for the homerun,” Austin Voeller said. “I don’t anticipate. I just wait for the ball to come to me and if it is a ball I can drive, I stay inside the ball and whatever comes out, it comes out.”
Golden Hawks right fielder Anthony Diaz was mad at himself for not getting a hit in his first at-bat. He hit a bullet towards the pitcher, who fielded it and retired Diaz. It was a result that frustrated Diaz, and made him vow to make amends.
Cleveland Westbrook helped himself and his team both on the mound and at the plate.
“Things haven’t been going my way lately,” Anthony Diaz said. “It was kind of frustrating. In my next two at-bats I took the frustration out on the ball.”
Diaz finished the night 2-for-3 with an RBI double.
Miami Springs Manager Willie Vazquez seemed to be happy with the performance from his team. Citing the way all his players had lived to their expectations so far.
“This is the first complete game we have played all year,” Vazquez said. “We are playing better defense, we are hitting the ball better, and today we sprayed the ball all over the field.”
On the other hand, Norland received a great contribution from the bat of their starting pitcher and leadoff hitter Westbrook, who finished the night 2-for-4 while scoring a couple of runs.
“Even if I don’t hit as well, I try to be a leader. I try to give my best, I try to be the momentum-shifter,” Westbrook said. “Try to let them know that I can do what you can do hurt, so they better do it too.”
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