Plant plates four to walk-off win over Sickles

Plant sophomore pinch runner Desan DeCamp heads to the plate as his teammates pour out of the dugout after a bases-loaded walk completed a four-run, come-from-behind walkoff win against Sickles. 

By Mike Camunas, Creative Director

SOUTH TAMPA — Tanner Swank has never been a part of a walk-off win.

That’s a long time as a three-year varsity starter for Plant, which even includes playing in a state championship game.

“In all my time here, I never have seen a walk off (win),” the senior second baseman said. “That was the first for me.”

Click here for more photos from this game.

Plant junior shortstop Cash Strayer keeps an eye on his defensive counterpart, Sickles junior shortstop Jordan Yost, leading off of second. 

It may have taken a while, but Swank, and the rest of his Panthers teammates, did, in fact, get a walk-off win Wednesday evening at Wade Boggs Field, as Plant (13-5) scored three runs with two outs to top Sickles 6-5.

“I knew they were just going to choke somehow, as long as we had good at bats at the plate (at the end),” Swank added. “Just like last year in the (Class 7A) state semis, we were down (4-1 to Lake Worth Park Vista) and we came back (and scored three in the top of the seventh inning) and won.”

Plant senior Tanner Swank turns a double play. Having stepped on second base, Swank ends the top-sixth with a throw on to first as teammate; Cash Strayer watches and Sickles’ Jaden Nazar slides into the bag.  

For Swank’s first walk-off win, it was a little bit of luck, but also patience at the plate in big situations.

Down 5-2 headed into the seventh, the Gryphons (15-4) brought in reliever Brandon Gonzales to close out the game while facing the 9-1-2 hitters for Plant — Connor Fulmino, Cash Strayer and Urban Ellis, respectively — and the latter would drive in Fulmino with a single to make it 5-3.

Urban Ellis breaks out of the box after sending his RBI single into left field in the seventh. 

Rocco DeMarinis would then load the bases with a single, only for, what seemed, Gonzales to lock in. The junior righty would strike out Danny Cerelli and James Leach, but then things went off the rails for Gonzales.

Another hit by pitch, glancing Swank, to make it 5-4, and then a walk to Aleks Yarich to tie the game at 5-5.

Plant freshman Jackson Cucchi worked the game-ending walk scoring the Panthers’ fourth run of the seventh inning. 

Plant coach Dennis Braun would make a mid-game substitution, entering freshman Jackson Cucchi for Matthew Midyett — which paid off in the game’s final inning as Cucchi would draw a five-pitch walk that brought home Desean DeCamp for the walk-off win.

“(Cucchi) needed that and it was a great at bat by him,” Braun said. “I guess the frustration is, really, that we haven’t been scoring a lot of runs. We’ve been doing a good job of throwing strikes and playing defense, but not scoring runs, but I think that’s the M.O. of a lot of teams in this county right now.”

Plant head coach Dennis Braun goes over strategy with senior Aleks Yarich.

Maybe so, but Sickles jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning, thanks to RBI singles by Jaden Nazar and Jacob Dial. Then, Gryphons senior ace, Cameron Guise, went to work and kept the Panthers at bay until the fourth.

With two outs, Swank would walk, Yarich would single, but a throwing error let Swank score from first, while Midyett drove home Yarich with an RBI single.

Sickles junior Jaden Nazar was 2-for-3 for the Gryphons.

But Sickles kept its foot on the gas. In the top of the fifth, the Gryphons put up a three spot behind Nazar, who finished the game 2-for-3 with 3 RBI, and an RBI walk by Dial.

“We didn’t keep our foot on the gas (long enough),” Sickles coach Eric Luksis said. “We kind of settled and got the lead back which was great, when we gave it up and basically spoon fed (those two runs) right to them, then got it right back. We had chances to score more runs, but didn’t execute.

“If we score one more run, maybe we would have won, maybe taken one from a good team. They’re never going to give up and that’s what happens when you let good teams hang around.”

Sickles senior starting pitcher Cameron Guise.

The Panthers did hang around, including long enough to see Guise — who would pitch 5 ⅔ innings, allow an earned run on five hits, two walks and strike out six on 91 pitches — exit his start and give way to reliever Nick Hartley, who got a strikeout of Cucchi to end the sixth.

“Give them credit to (Guise),” Braun said. “He really had the changeup going out there, and I get it, we should be able to hit that. But it was a really good pitch tonight, so he deserves that (praise), which is why we didn’t get a ton of hits.”

Plant senior Rocco DeMarinis.

On the Plant side, Rocco DeMarinis got the start, but lasted only three innings after allowing two runs on six hits. Bo Allen allowed two more runs, but it was Coy Keller who, despite allowing three walks, would pitch three innings of one-hit ball to keep Sickles off the scoreboard for the rest of the game.

“This year,” Braun said, “we’re not blessed with someone on the mound who can come out and strike out 12-14 at the plate.

“But this team, they’re grinders. The kids that were on that team last year, there were a lot of close games, so they’ve been around that. There was no panic, which is good, so they know they can win each game, which you want. … We just had a walk-off (loss, 5-4, in eight innings) to Newsome (on March 28), but we got one back, so it all evens out in baseball, you see, if you’ve been doing it long enough like I have (laughs).”

Sophomore lefty Coy Keller pitched three scoreless innings for the Panthers, earning the win.

And it certainly took long enough for Swank to find that out.

“No matter what the score is,” he added, “we have the ability to come back and win.

“Whatever it is, I know we can pull out a win.”

Sickles senior Jacob Dial moves a runner with a bunt. Dial was 1-for-2 with two RBI in the loss.

⚾

#7 Plant 6, #1 Sickles 5

S 200|030|0 – |5|8|3
P 000|200|4 – |6|8|4
W – Keller (2-0); L – Hartley
2B – Swank (P). Records – S (15-4); P (13-5).

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