Jordan’s grand slam seals Jesuit win over Raiders

Jesuit senior Grant Jordan is all smiles as he cruises into the mob of his teammates awaiting him at the plate after his sixth-inning grand slam.

By Mike Camunas, Creative Director

TAMPA — Miguel Menendez called it.

Walking around in front of the Tigers dugout, with Grant Jordan ready to bat and the bases loaded, the two-time state champion coach went ahead and made a bold prediction.

“He’s going to hit a home run here,” Menendez said.

And, sure enough, Jesuit’s skipper was right, as Jordan tattooed a Zane Wright fastball over the leftfield wall for a grand slam and secured the Tigers’ 9-3 win over Plant City on opening day of the 2023 Saladino Tournament on Saturday afternoon.

“It felt good off the bat, but I wasn’t sure if it was going to go (out),” the senior third baseman said. “Though once I rounded first, I saw it go out. That was a big relief.”

See more of our photos from Plant City v Jesuit by clicking here.

Menendez, while still contemplating taking his hot, predictive hand to Hard Rock Casino following the win, knew if Jordan saw a good pitch — in this case high heat — then he’d make the Raiders pay.

“They battled to get back in the game, but I just had a feeling that Grant — one of our better hitters — if he saw one, he’d put a good swing on it and he just got all of it,” Menendez added. “I told him, just look (for a) fastball — and they gave him a fastball, so he’s going to take advantage of that.”

After a long delay in the bottom of the sixth inning that Jordan dubbed “a commercial break,” the Tigers (8-0) were able to extend their 5-3 lead and pick up the important first win in this year’s edition of the tournament.

Jesuit, despite being the Class 5A state champion, is trying to redeem itself from losing in the Saladino semifinals in 2022, where it lost to eventual runner up, Sickles.

“I think some of the guys have a little bit of a sour taste in their mouths from last year,” Menendez said, “and I think the state championship helps that, a bit, but (playing in Saladino), it’s playing all the county guys, all the guys they know. And we don’t play a lot of county teams, so this — it’s kind of getting ready for the playoffs.

“This is the closest thing to playoff baseball, because you basically have to win every game or else you’re going to be out.”

The Tigers got out to a 5-0 lead by the second thanks to Jake Kulikowski and Zane Pestalozzi RBIs, with the team jumping on Raiders starter Chase Mobley, who would pitch 5 2/3 innings, throwing 95 pitches, striking out four and walking three.

Plant City junior starter Chase Mobley.

“We had some miscommunication, between me and Chase, in the first two innings, that’s why they got on him and that’s totally on me,” Plant City coach Michael Fryrear said. “Once we knew which pitch we were calling, he settled in. They still exposed us and it’s been a rocky start to the season.

“But the guys battled, made it interesting and never gave up, and that’s all I ever ask of them.”

Raiders senior Anthony Palestrini gets a fist bump from head coach Michael Fryrear while rounding the bases on his three-run homer.

The Raiders (2-5) made it interesting when senior Anthony Palestrini sent a bomb to deep center to give his team three runs. Wyatt Fordham doubled home Colin Pellicer in the third to put Plant City on the board.

Jesuit starter Aden Knowles struck out six in his 4 1/3 innings of work, earning the win while allowing one earned run. 

But that would be the only runs Jesuit starter Aden Knowles would allow after throwing 71 pitches, as well as striking out six, including the first five batters he faced.

“We started off hot and after that, we just had momentum the entire game,” senior catcher Josh Hines said. “They scored some runs late in the game to put some pressure on us, but I feel like we’re really good at handling pressure.”

And by handling pressure, Jesuit would turn to relievers John Abraham and Derek Westfall, who would pitch the final 2 1/3 innings and allow just two hits, one of those being Palestrini’s homer.

Jesuit reliever Derek Westfall and catcher Josh Hines are all smiles after the senior righty ended the game with a strikeout looking. 

Though it was Jordan’s grand slam that sealed the tournament win for the Tigers.

And as he rounded the bases, with a big smile on his face while headed to a mob at home plate, Jordan knows it’s going to take more hits like that this week if Jesuit wants to win its second Saladino Tournament in the past three years.

Even if his coach doesn’t always call it.

“He was just like, ‘You’re going to hit a home run here,'” Jordan said, somewhat doubtful of Menendez, “but I don’t want to go up there thinking that!

“But it just happened.”

Tournament pool-play games resume at Jesuit on Monday, with Plant City facing Gaither at 4pm, before the Tigers take on Wharton at 7pm.

#1 Jesuit 9, Plant City 3

P 001|002|0 – |3|7|3
J 320|004|x – |9|9|0
W – Knowles (2-0); L – Mobley (0-2)
2B – Fordham, Palestrini, Longoria (P); Hines 2, Pestalozzi (J); HR – Palestrini (P); Jordan (J). Records – P (2-5); J (8-0).

 

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