Mater Academy Outlasts Varela, Heads On To State Tournament

Box Score

Ten years ago the Mater Academy Lions last played in the state Final Four. The year before, the Lions had won their only state championship, and the remaining members from that title team led the battle in a valiant effort that fell short. They lost despite the same gritty play that had led them to a title the year before, but had set a standard for Lions baseball.

Those players could feel nothing but Lions pride at the 2025 Mater Academy roster, who have embodied that same relentless playing style to now lead this team back to the promised land. Thursday night, Mater held off the Varela Vipers for a 10-8 shootout victory to win the decisive game of the regional finals. The Lions are the champions of Region 5A-4, and have now punched their ticket back to the state tournament.

“Our team was ready for this moment,” Mater Academy Manager Humberto Bencomo said. “We came into this series hungry and determined to continue to do what we have done in our prior series. We left everything on that field. This series wasn’t just about baseball; it was about heart, brotherhood, and history. This is for everyone who believed in us. It’s out first trip to states in 10 years – and we’re not done yet.”

After a narrow 5-2 win in the opening game of the best-of-three series, Mater (23-9-1) completed the sweep and extended its winning streak to nine games. The Lions next play in the state Final Four at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers on Thursday, May 15th. The three remaining regions in 5A have all reached Game Three, which will be played on Saturday to determine the series’ winners.

Varela (20-10-2) did not go down easy, and the Vipers rallied back from a 1-0 hole with four runs in the fourth to take the lead for the first time in the series. Tyler Rodriguez and Nicholas Baluja had RBI singles, and Jiovanni Zara added a two-RBI double.

But the Lions roared back in the bottom of the fourth, sending twelve batters to the plate and scoring nine runs to take control. Brandon Lorenzo had a double to help get it started, and then came back around to bat again and capped off the giant frame with a grand slam home run that made it a 10-4 advantage. Lorenzo was 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI on the day.

Jonathan Esponda was 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Jacob Amador was 2-for-3 for the Lions.

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