Brito Improves To 3-0 With 6-2 Win Over Miami Springs

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The Brito Panthers came into 2015 with a bullseye on their back after capturing the 2A state crown last spring. Despite losing some of their top seniors from a year ago, the Panthers have picked up where they left off by winning their first three games of the year. Brito rolled to another victory on Wednesday afternoon, a 6-2 win over Miami Springs.

On this day, the Panthers used a balanced offensive attack, with seven of their nine starters having at least one hit. Eight of the nine batters reached base safely on the day, and the one that did not, Alex Nino, executed a perfect safety squeeze to plate the Panthers’ sixth run.

“That’s what we expect from these guys when we start putting the ball in play,” said Manager Pedro Guerra. “When we have good at-bats, and put the ball in play, good things are going to happen.”

Brito came into the game with Cristian Crowe on the mound, and he was facing Springs’ Dylan Carter. The two both had their way with opposing batters through the first two innings. Outside of two walks, the first hit of the game did not come until the Brito third. That was also the inning the Panthers jumped on the board first. Luis Nieves hit a one-out single, moved to third on an error and a Marco Bolano base hit, and then scored on an RBI single off the bat of Jan Hernandez.

Miami Springs battled back in their half of the third. Mario Negueruela hit a two-out double down the line, and pinch-runner Yadel Abreu came around to score on two consecutive wild pitches, evening the score at one.

The score remained that way until the fifth, when the Brito bats woke up. The Panthers sent nine batters to the plate in the inning, and scored three runs. Cristian Alvarez and Bolano had hits to start the frame, Hernandez worked a walk, and Onelio Perdomo, Richard Nunez, and Robert Hernandez all had RBI base hits.

“That has kind of been our pattern so far this year,” said Guerra. “We have been falling behind early, and then our bats have woken up as the game goes on.”

The three-run lead helped Crowe settle in on the mound, and turned around a tight game.

“Once our offense gave me that lead in the fifth, that was huge,” said Crowe, who would end the day with five innings pitched and five strikeouts, while giving up only two earned runs. “We know what we have to do to win games, and today we were able to string a bunch of hits together, play good defense, and come away with the win.”

While most of the lineup contributed, it was one of their state champion players from a year ago that led the way. Bolano finished the afternoon 3-for-4.

“We started slow, but we adjusted as the game went on,” said Bolano. “We have always had a winning program, so it’s up to us this year to keep that winning tradition that players before us have started.”

For Miami Springs, the game continued what has been a roller-coaster ride through the first four games. Manager Willie Vazquez knew that there would be a learning curve this year, with most of his positional players starting for the first time.

“We’re battling each and every game, and that’s a good sign,” said Vazquez. “Our pitchers have been keeping us in games, and it’s so early in the season. This is a young team, and they are still learning how to make adjustments in-game. Hopefully they will continue to learn, and we can get stronger as the year goes on and be ready for the playoffs at the end.”

The Golden Hawks get an off day on Thursday, before a big district match-up with Goleman on Friday afternoon. Brito will also be heading back to district play when they travel to face 3-1 Miami Christian on Friday.

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