Rojas, Gaither overcome rough start in decisive win

Gaither senior Steven Rojas overcame a pair of unearned runs in the first, pitching five innings and striking out five as the Cowboys stormed back with eight unanswered runs for a Region Quarterfinal win.

By Mike Camunas, Creative Director

CARROLLWOOD — It started with a hat trick of errors.

There isn’t a hyperbole that pales in comparison to the rough start that Gaither and senior starting pitcher Steven Rojas faced in the Class 6A region quarterfinal at Frank Permuy Park on Wednesday evening.

Click here for a few more photos from this game.

But, just like an unwanted signal, Rojas and the Cowboys shook it off, settled in and scored eight unanswered runs to down Naples Palmetto Ridge 8-2. Gaither will now host Fort Myers Riverdale (19-8) in Saturday’s region semifinals.

“I wouldn’t say worried,” Cowboys coach Nelson North said. “No, that is not the way you want to start — three straight errors that lead to two runs.”

Senior Miguel Pina was 1-for-2, with a walk, run scored and RBI. 

Despite those errors — two of which were just strangely hit balls that were taken, unfortunately, at third base by junior Nico Lopez — the Cowboys took the game by the reins and rattled off eight runs, behind RBIs from Jackson Mirza, Paul Provencher, Ryder Warriner and Miguel Pina.

Lopez, Josh Choe and Scout Simpson would all have hits, as well, including the latter picking up a triple.

“I thought we would shut them out the rest of the way,” North said. “I thought we could have shut them out from the start.”

Cowboys senior Scout Simpson charges out of the box after sending his fifth-inning triple into right field. 

By ignoring the top of the first inning, it was a dominant game by Gaither (21-6), which never faltered thanks to a four-run second. The Cowboys would rack up nine hits, while Rojas, the senior righty, did what he’s done all season: be dominant on the mound — five innings pitched, three hits allowed and striking out five to improve to 5-3 with a 1.94 ERA.

“He’s just a player — he’s a man,” said Mirza, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI. “He can throw. He throws hard, he’s got pitches — he’s a dog.”

Jackson Mirza hustles out of the box for the Cowboys. The sophomore had a pair of hits and drove in a pair in the win.

“I trust in my defense no matter what,” Rojas added, also referencing a double play started by Mirza in which he doubled up a runner at first. “It was a little rough at the beginning, but I just wanted to keep us in the game. … We worked hard through the entire game and didn’t get down on ourselves, which is something you can’t do in the first game (of the postseason) and if you have a rough start like that.”

North said Rojas needed very little guidance after finding himself in an early hole.

“Steven has been good all year — all our pitchers have,” North said. “(I told him after the first), those were all great pitches, so keep making them, and that’s what he did.”

The Cowboys showed very little worry despite the early deficit and then applied the pressure on the Bears (18-8).

“I knew we’d score some runs and didn’t think two would beat us,” North said. “I’m starting to believe in the bats and I expect them to swing the bats well, expect them to run the bases well and expect them to play good defense.

“They did all those things tonight.”

Moving forward, Rojas will be available out of the bullpen on Saturday, having thrown just 55 pitches. North says junior Michael Fernandez gets the nod vs. Fort Myers Riverdale, and is excited to have the 1-2 punch of him and Rojas for the next week.

“These two starters are real good, (Rojas) and Fernandez,” North added. “I guess I’m super superstitious because I haven’t broken rotation all year and it’s been working out great.”

Plus, the rest of the team knows if their starting pitching is in control, the Cowboys can do great things.

“I think if we set the tone early, just like (good) pitching, sets the game right for us,” Mirza said. “If we put the (bat) barrel on the ball, we’ll be fine. Sometimes, you just don’t have it in the first inning, but you have to stay up the whole game.”

Junior Zach Callahan and catcher Ryder Warriner celebrate the final out.

⚾ Class 6A-Region 3 ⚾

Gaither 8, Naples Palmetto Ridge 2

P 200|000|0 – |2|5|2
G 041|012|x – |8|9|2
W – Rojas; L – Mattei
2B – Beausejour (P); Mirza (G); 3B – Simpson (G). Records – P (18-8); G (21-6).

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