Bloomingdale holds off Osceola behind Harman’s bat

Bloomingdale junior Dawson Harman was 2-for-4 with a double, run scored and the game deciding one-run single as the Bulls topped Seminole Osceola. (Photo by Jess Zanca)

By Jarrett Guthrie
Editor
Photos by Jess Zanca
Correspondent

February 25, 2022

TAMPA – A trio of errors proved too much to overcome for Seminole Osceola, as Bloomingdale pounced on those miscues to put up four, early runs and held off a late-game rally from the Warriors. The Bulls put up eight hits – including a decisive RBI single from senior Drawson Harman in the sixth – to outlast Osceola 5-4 in Thursday’s nightcap of the 813Preps Bay Bash from Jesuit.

Senior Tephen Montgomery struck out nine across five innings on the mound, the righty allowing just three hits and two unearned runs in his regular-season pitching debut with the Bulls. All three of the Warriors hits off of Montgomery came from the bottom half of the lineup, and Montgomery admitted to perhaps rushing a bit too much through the second half of the lineup.

“I was doing my normal thing on the mound, trying to locate my fastball and work with my off-speed,” Montgomery said. “I think, with the bottom of the lineup, you’re always trying to hurry and get through. I need to take my time there and focus a little bit more.”

Bulls senior RHP Tephen Montgomery. (Photo by Jess Zanca)

Montgomery also drove in a pair and scored on a two-run single, which turned into a “little league” home run when it was overrun in right field.

Despite a four-run hole Osceola (0-2) battled back, primarily behind the bat of sophomore Cord Gerdes, who went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI.

“Cord is a young guy getting a shot for us,” Osceola coach Stefan Futch said. “He’s holding down left field really well right now.”

Osceola sophomore Cord Gerdes was 3-for-3 with two RBI. (Photo by Jess Zanca)

But it was the Bulls who managed to stay just slightly ahead of the Warriors charge, Dawson Harman doubled off the wall in left in the third, stole a base and scored on an error and then came through with an RBI single, driving in Drake Harman in the six – a run that proved pivotal as Osceola’s CJ Thornton’s sac fly in the seventh cut the Bloomingdale (2-1) lead to a single run.

“Off the bat, I thought it might sneak out,” Dawson Harman said of his smash off the outfield wall. “I hit one the game before exactly like that, but I guess I haven’t been in the gym enough lately.”

Futch said the mistakes for the Warriors in the early innings were an obstacle to great to overcome, but he was proud of his team’s battle to the end.

“They’re a very good offensive ball club and we just made too many mistakes,” Futch said. “We dug ourselves a hole that we couldn’t get out of.

“We love coming to Tampa, we do it a lot … we got a chance to stay over here for the first week and play three very good Tampa teams. That is exactly what we want, now we take back what we’ve learned and get going over on our side (of Tampa Bay).”

Osceola P Aidan Alvarez. (Photo by Jess Zanca)

Trey Wilson weathered the rally attempt and finished things  off with a fly ball to earn his first save of the year.

Sean Newton was the unlucky pitcher tagged with the loss, despite two solid relief innings, allowing just one run and had three strikeouts. Aidan Alvarez got the start pitching four innings allowing four unearned, with six punchouts.

⚾⚾⚾⚾

Bloomingdale 5
Seminole Osceola 4

Be sure to check back later today for our full game story from the Bulls win.

O 000|201|1 – |4|6|4
B 000|000|x – |5|8|1
W – Montgomery (1-0); L – Alvarez (0-1); S – Wilson (1)
2B – Daw. Harman (B). Records – O (0-2); B (2-1).

 

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