Durant nips Alonso on extra-inning miscue
Durant’s Blaine Rowland allowed one run, and struck out 11 in his eight innings on the mound (813Preps file photo).
By Brandon Wright, Features Writer
PLANT CITY – The deeper teams progress through the playoffs, the tighter and tenser games become. Especially between evenly matched clubs. One miscue can be the difference between advancing and cleaning out your locker.
Wednesday was no exception.
A throwing error in the bottom of the 10th inning allowed the winning run to score as Durant edged visiting Alonso 2-1 in the opening round of the Class 7A region playoffs.
“It was a good game, a good battle,” Alonso coach Landy Faedo said. “That’s how it usually is, whoever makes the least amount of mistakes.”
Neither team wanted to give an inch. Both starting pitchers battled into extra innings. Both teams turned in web gems behind their pitchers. And both teams left it all out on the field in a game that looked like it might still be going on when the school bell rang in the morning.
“He who makes the fewest mistakes, that’s what it comes down to,” Durant coach Butch Valdes said. “That’s what we’ve gotta do … force the errors. We have to force the situations.”
The win marked the second straight thrilling 2-1 home victory. The Cougars’ Noah Morales smashed a 6th-inning solo homer in last week’s district final against Newsome.
“We’re pretty scrappy,” Durant starter Blaine Rowland said.
Tied at 1, Gavin Florio was hit by a full count fastball to open the 10th. Courtesy runner Dylan Hotz entered and advanced to second on a Brantley Hayward sacrifice bunt. Faedo went to reliever Vincent Antuna, who struck out Aidan Welsh. But Hotz broke on the play and Ravens’ catcher Samuel Fernandez’s throw to third sailed into left field, allowing Hotz to score and send the Cougars’ to Saturday’s region semifinal at Windemere.
“Fortunately, it went our way,” Valdes said. “(Alonso) played a hell of a game.”
The starters were magnificent, with each dominating in different fashion. Rowland was overpowering while Alonso’s BJ Rivera economical.
“(Rivera) did a great job,” Rowland said. “I don’t think he could have done any better. That was beautiful. He was living off-speed and catching us out in front.”
Rowland fanned 11 in eight innings of work, scattering five hits and surrendering just a two-out RBI single to Austin Kirsch that put Alonso (18-9) up a run in the fourth. Rowland said he didn’t have his best stuff Wednesday and had to alter the gameplan midway through.
“I felt great coming in and then halfway through they started to get on my fastball,” Rowland said. “They were all over the fastball so I had to make a change. More off-speed.”
Rivera was every bit as good, working into the 10th on just 105 pitches before handing over the ball with one out. The senior righty kept Durant (20-5) off balance all night, working away with a sweeping slider. Rivera gave up just four hits and saw the first Cougars run come across on an error, after a wicked hop skipped over the glove of shortstop Chris Morgan. Rivera never threw more than 12 pitches in an inning and was in single digits twice.
“(Rivera) has been like that his whole career,” Faedo said. “He’s a warrior, pounds the zone and gets out of things when things aren’t going good.”
Alonso senior BJ Rivera pitched 9 1/3 innings, striking out five and allowing two unearned runs (813Preps file photo).
Fernandez had a pair of hits, including a ringing double off the left centerfield fence, while Dylan LaPointe doubled for the Cougars. Florio pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the win for Durant.
“Blaine did a great job tonight,” Valdez said. “Defensively we were on par, offensively we struggled. A couple missed signs here and there. But they battled through.”
The Cougars will travel to Windermere on Saturday for the Region 2 semifinal, after the Wolverines defeated Lake Nona, 6-3.
⚾ Class 7A-Region 2 ⚾
Durant 2, Alonso 1 (10)
Check back Thursday morning for our coverage of this game.
A 000|100|000|0 – |1|7|4
D 000|010|000|1 – |2|4|0
W – Florio; L – Rivera
2B – Fernandez (A); LaPointe (D); 3B – xxxxx (A); xxxxx (D); HR – xxxxx (A); xxxxx (D). Records – A (18-8); D (19-5).
