Calvary turns it on as errors stack for Alonso
Calvary DH J.T. Long (left) tapping helmets with teammate Tad Brooks (33) after the senior’s two-run, first-inning homer that gave the Warriors an early 4-0 lead (photo by Chuck Frye).
By Chuck Frye, Staff writer
Click here for a few more photos from Tuesday’s game.
CLEARWATER – It’s a cruel irony that Alonso submitted a subpar defensive effort while competing on one of the truest playing fields in Tampa Bay.
Journeying to Pinellas County Tuesday to take on a potent Calvary Christian squad, fresh off a pair of error-free victories to start the year, the Ravens’ defense instead melted down on the Warriors’ artificial turf diamond in a 7-2 setback.
Starting with a top-notch first-inning relay throw from leftfielder Ben Drumheller that beat Calvary leadoff man Andrew Tess to the plate but was mishandled, allowing the junior Pittsburgh commit to score, Alonso committed five errors that led to four unearned runs.
Alonso catcher Samuel Fernandez losing the ball as Calvary Christian’s Andrew Tess (12) slides home with the game’s first run.
“No, we didn’t play good defense,” Ravens head coach Landy Faedo said succinctly. “It would have been nice if we’d played better baseball, so at least it would have been a closer game.”
Calvary (4-0) jumped on the early miscue via RBI singles from Landen Maroudis (two hits and a walk on the night) and Liam Peterson, then seized control when senior J.T. Long launched a bomb over the right-centerfield fence for a two-run homer.
“Our first six hitters had great at-bats and got us off to a great start,” Warriors head coach Greg Olson said. “Facing that type of pitcher (in senior standout and High Point commit Bryan Rivera) is not easy and I thought our guys did a great job.”
Alonso starting pitcher Bryan Rivera.
Rivera rebounded from the rocky start to work three shutout innings, finishing with four strikeouts while retiring six of the last seven batters he faced.
“(Calvary) hit some off-speed pitches off of (Bryan) early, and he just made some better pitches after. That’s all,” said Faedo.
But Alonso (2-1) couldn’t take advantage of Rivera’s improvements despite getting two runners into scoring position in the top of the second. Courtesy runner Zack Mabee got erased at the plate by a strong throw from first baseman Peterson, then starter Maroudis registered one of his seven strikeouts to squash the threat.
“It was a great start to the game,” Olson said. “Any team in general is going to feed off of its starting pitcher and Landen went out and set the tone.”
Calvary Christian pitcher Landon Maroudis.
Maroudis, a North Carolina State commit, ended up working 5 2/3 innings of two-hit ball before control became an issue, hitting Fernandez and Christopher Morgan back-to-back, before yielding an RBI groundout to Eric Duran-Padua, and a run-scoring base hit to Rivera to end his evening.
Calvary nicked Alonso relievers Vincent Antuna (two runs, one unearned in one inning) and Marcelo Diaz (one unearned run in the sixth) to pad its lead, and Long retired the four batters he faced to lock up the victory.
“We had a dropped ball at home, we had an opportunity to turn three double plays and we didn’t, and we had an error on a base hit that ended up scoring a couple of runs,” Faedo concluded. “But (Calvary) out-hit us, they outplayed us in all parts of the game, so they deserved to win. We didn’t.”
The Ravens return to action on Thursday, sending junior Landon Nunez to the mound at home against Newsome. Olson hadn’t decided who will take that ball as the Warriors’ season-opening seven-game homestand continues Friday against Lakeland Christian.
Alonso second baseman Austin Kirsch (10) getting the tag in too late as Calvary’s Blake Opie steals second in the third inning.
Calvary Christian 7, #7 Alonso 2
A 000|002|0 – |2|2|5
C 400|021|x – |7|8|0
W – Maroudis (2-0); L – Rivera (1-1)
2B – Tess (C); HR – Long (C). Records – A (2-1); C (4-0).
