Sunset Moves To Regional Semifinal In Thrilling Fashion

Once teams break through and win a regional championship, a funny thing happens to their confidence. It is a swagger that can carry over from season to season.

That may be the case with defending 4A regional Champion Miami Sunset. The Knights came out of the south region last season, and set expectations high for 2024.

After playing a tough schedule, and not having the type year that was expected, expectations dropped for the Knights entering regional play.

Those expectations may once again have to be re-adjusted after Wednesday night. The Knights played a thrilling game against traditional Palm Beach power American Heritage Delray, one that saw Sunset take a 3-0 lead early, only to watch Heritage tie the game in the fifth.

Eventually, the Knights were able to outlast the Stallions, scoring a run in the ninth inning, and then holding on for the 4-3 regional quarterfinals win.

“This was a huge win for our program,” said Sunset Manager Julio Mendoza. “It’s our fourth regional win in a row. We are the defending regional champions, and today we showed why. We played with a lot of resilience.”

The game could not have started any better for the Knights, as lead-off hitter Angel Santiago led the game off with a home run. Sunset would add another run in the inning, and a run in the fourth to go up 3-0.

Heritage, as they have done much of the year, fought back in the fifth with three runs of their own.

The game would stay 3-3 into the eighth inning, when the Knights thought they had took a 4-3 lead on a ground ball to second. The umpire, however, called obstruction on the runner sliding into second on the double-play attempt, which took the apparent go-ahead run off the board, keeping the game tied at three.

The Stallions had just an inning earlier had their best shot to take the lead with runners on first and second and one out. Anthony Trolongo hit a hard base hit to right field, and the right-fielder threw a runner out at the plate. Subsequently, the runner going from first to third was also thrown out with an inning-ending double play on the hit.

In the top of the ninth, Sunset was able to load the bases with no outs on three walks. A fielder’s choice groundout gave the Knights the lead.

Heritage was able to then work out of the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Sunset reliever Nicholas Roca, who threw the final 4.1 innings, sent the Stallions down in order, securing the win for the defending regional champions.

Anthony Harvey started the game for Sunset, going 4.2 innings, allowing one earned run, while striking out six.

“It was a great game to be a part of,” said Mendoza. “We did what we had to do to squeeze out the win against a very good opponent in American Heritage. Now we have to get ready to go into the next game and continue to try and defend our regional title.”

Up next for Sunset will be Mater Lakes Academy, who defeated Miami Springs on Wednesday.

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