Terrapins can’t hold off Berkeley rally, Bucs win in extras
Tampa Prep catcher Jaden Holder tries to get in front of an errant sixth-inning throw as Berkeley Prep junior Julius Pfau slides in with the tying run. On-deck man David Parker directs Pfau, who had three singles in the victory.
Story & Photos by Chuck Frye, Staff Writer
TAMPA — A definitive answer to an opponent’s fast start, persistently pesky offense and some empowering defense. Thursday night was setting up as the benchmark victory that could turn around Tampa Prep’s fortunes heading into district tournament play.
View more of our photos from this game here.
But when standing at the precipice, as has happened to the Terrapins too many times before in 2023, the gremlins arrived and derailed those ambitions. Visiting Berkeley Prep – a program with a rock-solid championship pedigree – had the discipline to cash in on those bonus opportunities, posting the tying run in the sixth inning and erupting for three more in the eighth to escape with a 6-3 win.
“It’s happened a lot,” Tampa Prep head coach A.J. Hendrix said of a season that started with a 10-inning loss followed by a mid-March string of three one-run setbacks that was so demoralizing that the Terps lost each of the following four contests by 10-plus runs. “We were a very inexperienced group at the varsity level coming into this year. We only had a few kids that played at this speed of the game and I think we’re still trying to adjust and trying to catch up to it.”
Berkeley Prep second baseman Gus Barrido tosses to first base for a fourth-inning out.
A three-game winning streak leading into Thursday, two of which avenged earlier setbacks, indicated that the Terps (now 7-16) were turning the corner. And when Tampa Prep countered Buc senior James Hankerson’s two-run homer in the top of the first inning with a pair of runs of its own in the bottom half followed by a go-ahead tally in the third, the growth of the hosts was apparent.
Berkeley Prep’s James Hankerson celebrates his two-run, first-inning homer, the senior’s team-high sixth of the year.
Freshman leadoff man Christian Sheffield drilled a double high off the leftfield fence, moved to third on junior Ignacio Gonzalez’s first of two singles and scored on senior LaPlace Sallis’ infield out. Gonzalez then stole third and scored when Jaden Holder (walk) drew a weak Berkeley throw when stealing second.
Christian Sheffield slides under the tag of Berkeley Prep catcher Troy Reader to give Tampa Prep a 3-2, third-inning lead.
Sheffield kick-started the third with his first of three walks, moving to third on junior Will Jennewein’s first of two base hits and scoring on Holder’s sacrifice fly.
“I’m proud of the fellows, they came back and competed,” Hendrix said. “We would’ve liked to squeeze a couple more in that first inning, it would have set a different tone to the game, but the kids battled.”
Tampa Prep starter Xavier Brown scattered six hits over six innings of work.
Terrapin lefty starter Xavier Brown did his part, rebounding to spin four shutout innings including a fourth frame where the Bucs loaded the bases but came up empty thanks to a sinking liner that was snagged by shortstop Gonzalez and turned into a double play with a snap throw to Sheffield at third.
Brown was one out away from making that five scoreless, but a throwing error gave Berkeley Prep another shot. After Julius Pfau got into scoring position with a stolen base, sophomore Bo Allen roped a single to tie the contest.
Tampa Prep centerfielder LaPlace Sallis looks on as rightfielder Will Jennewein battles the sun to catch a fourth-inning fly ball.
The hex continued into the bottom of the seventh. Sheffield walked, Jennewein singled and Gonzalez reached on an error to load the bases with none out. With the winning run 90 feet away, Buccaneers freshman reliever Parker Mitzel shook off the pressure and delivered, coaxing a grounder to Hankerson at first, who threw home to retire Sheffield at the plate before the pitcher fanned the next two batters.
“(Parker’s) been able to come in and give us a little bit of length out of the bullpen, which has been great in some of our three-game weeks,” Berkeley head coach Richie Warren said. “Two ninth-graders throwing the ball (including starter George Cook, who gave up three hits and struck out five in his four innings of work) and beating a good team. Those guys have bright futures.”
Berkeley Prep freshman reliever Parker Mitzel battled through four shutout innings to pick up his second victory of the season.
Berkeley Prep (15-8) opened the eighth with its own bases-loaded, no-out rally. Hankerson singled and pinch-runner Josh Herrmann stole second, sophomore Rivers Kurland laid down a short bunt that saw Herrmann beat a throw to second, and Pfau dropped a perfect base hit bunt on a less-than-perfect pitch for his third safety of the game.
“I was looking to get the job done for my coach and my team,” Pfau said of his final base hit. “Doing anything I could do to get that bunt down.”
Tampa Prep catcher Jaden Holder and pitcher Ignacio Gonzalez slap hands after Gonzalez’s strikeout ends Berkeley Prep’s seventh inning.
Like the bottom of the seventh, drawn-in Terrapins shortstop Kyle Brill threw out Herrmann at the plate while a shallow fly to centerfielder Sallis froze the runners. But one out away from escape, the inning was extended on a fielding error that brought home Kurland, then Wyatt Ewanowski compounded the damage by looping the first pitch he saw down the leftfield line for a double that plated Pfau and Allen (fielder’s choice).
Mitzel (four shutout innings, three hits, two walks, one hit batter, five strikeouts) then worked a 1-2-3 eighth to allow the Bucs to escape with a fortunate victory.
“I was just trusting my stuff, trying not to think about it too hard and throw strikes,” Mitzel said. “I was just trying to rip the fastball through the zone, trying to get it past them.”
“We tend not to really play our best here for whatever reason,” Warren said. “I thought George (Cook) settled in and did a really nice job keeping us in the game and allowing our offense to wake up late.”
Berkeley Prep freshman starting pitcher George Cook worked four innings of three-hit, three-run ball, striking out five.
Hendrix concluded: “I’m very proud of Xavier (Brown) for his effort, and reliever Ignacio (Gonzalez), when he came in, he threw well, too. We just didn’t make some plays in the sixth and eighth innings. Those hurt, and leaving nine runners on base hurt us, also. But we’ve battled all year, so hopefully (on Friday at Carrollwood Day) we come out and make strides to get better and step up to be ready for districts.”
Berkeley Prep will also get right back into action on Friday, hosting Steinbrenner for its Senior Night.
Berkeley Prep catcher Troy Reader and pitcher Parker Mitzel embrace after the Buccaneers’ come-from-behind victory.
Berkeley Prep 6, Tampa Prep 3 (8)
B 200|001|03 – |6|11|1
T 201|000|00 – |3|6|2
W – Mitzel; L – Gonzalez
2B – Ewanowski (B); Sheffield (T); HR – Hankerson (B). Records – B (15-8); T (7-16).
