Crusaders jump out big, then fend off late Panthers rally

Seffner Christian senior Jenuel Ortiz connects on his second-inning, two-run triple as the Crusaders built a big lead. Despite a 10-run deficit, Bell Creek battled to the wire, while Ortiz added an RBI walk and a run-scoring single to the 11-9 victory.

By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor

RIVERVIEW – Seffner Christian sent 14 to the plate early in the game at Bell Creek on Thursday, stretching out a 10-run lead and appeared headed to a lopsided win. But the Panthers answered back with four quick runs, then got the winning run on first base in the seventh, before the Crusaders were able to close out an 11-9 win in a wild afternoon tilt.

We’ve got 100+ more photos from this game in our gallery (click here).

“They (Bell Creek) just kept hitting and we didn’t make all the plays we should have,” Seffner Christian head coach Sal Giardina said. “But they just kept coming after us, and as they scored runs they got more and more fired up. The momentum definitely changed over to their dugout.

“We were able to bow up, come together as a team and survive the last inning.”

Kaleb Williams wears the first of two hit-by-pitches in the same inning, scoring on both opportunities as the Crusaders put up 10 runs in the second.

In the second, Kaleb Williams wore the first of two hit-by-pitches to the midsection to lead off, followed by a Brayden Nanns double, then Jenuel Ortiz got down to business. The Crusaders senior scorched a two-run triple down the line in right, setting off an offensive onslaught that included an RBI single from Mason McBane, a two-run single from Andrew Montero, and an RBI single by Juelz Sidoti.

“We haven’t been producing at the plate so far, and it was great to see Jenuel come out of that a little bit today,” Giardina said. “He stayed focused, he had an approach today at the plate, and with that, he was successful.”

Seffner’s Mason McBane lined a single to center driving in a run.

Ortiz said the team came out ready and focused, hungry to snap a four-game skid.

“We came out to play and we were ready to hit the ball,” Ortiz said. “We came out here looking for a win … they (Bell Creek) gave a good punch-back, but we kept our heads up, and made sure to finish this game off with a win.”

Bell Creek’s Nathan Benoit pulled his hands on two inside pitches for a pair of RBI singles in the loss.

Those 10 runs very well could have been it for Bell Creek (4-8-1), but the Panthers snapped right back in the home-second, as Nathan Benoit led off with a double and eventually scored on a passed ball, followed by Andrew Golden’s second of four hits in the loss to drive in one, then Tate Anich added an RBI single in a four-run response.

“Lately Drew (Golden) has been seeing the ball really, really well,” Burke said. “He’s stepped up as a leader for this team, showing the young kids how to have a quality at-bat. He had four of those today, and that’s everything I’ve come to expect from a player who is so consistent.”

Drew Golden deposited a two-run hit into shallow right field in the second inning.

After Seffner Christian (3-6) took the big lead, the Panthers turned to freshman lefty Remy Ramsey, who was outstanding in his 4 1/3 innings of relief, striking out one and holding the Crusaders to just one more run on four hits.

“Sometimes there has to be a pitcher who steps up,” Burke said. “And today, Remy Ramsey, who has maybe two or three innings all year, we gave him a chance to see if he could calm it down a little bit.

“He threw strikes, our defense stood up and made a lot of good plays for him, and I’m really proud of what he showed out there on the mound.”

Bell Creek freshman Remy Ramsey gave the Panthers 4 1/3 innings of strong relief.

Ortiz picked up his second hit and fourth RBI in the fourth inning, before Bell Creek continued to chip away at the lead scoring a run in both the fourth (Kyle Beauchamp RBI single) and a productive out from William Miller.

Kyle Beauchamp sends this skipping RBI single to right in the fourth inning.

With Seffner Christian set to begin the Saladino Bronze Tournament on Saturday, Giardina said he was looking for innings from his starter Tyler Tate. The junior allowed five runs, while giving up six hits and walking six, but did have six punchouts and ate up four innings.

“Tyler has been coming out of the pen all year long, and he’s going to be out of town for Spring Break and won’t be with us for the Saladino,” the Seffner Christian coach said. “I was going to run him out there and get as many pitches as we could from him. I asked him to go four innings and that’s exactly what he did for me today.”

Seffner Christian’s Tyler Tate pitched four innings and earned the win.

Tate admitted that his team may have taken the lead for granted a bit, but he was proud to see them hold on for the win.

“This game will make us stronger,” Tate said. “When we went up 10-0 I think we got a little complacent, we needed to keep working and we found our rhythm, stayed on the grind and pushed for this win.”

Crusaders reliever David Sidoti

David Sidoti allowed one run in the fifth, he issued a walk in the seventh, then took a screaming groundball off the shin (Andrew Golden’s fourth and final hit of the game) and was forced out.

Bell Creek employed a double steal to score one, Benoit singled to drive in two more and the Panthers loaded the bases before reliever Ryder Stephens slammed the door with a game-ending strikeout.

“For this year, this game doesn’t surprise me,” Giardina said. “We’ve got a young team, we’re just learning how to get through games like this. These are the games that build ball players.”

After an injury to David Sidoti, Ryder Stephens worked in relief. Bell Creek loaded the bases and cut the lead to two, before Stephens slammed home the save with a strikeout.

Burke said there were a number of positives to take from the loss, especially his team’s determination to respond after getting taken for a 10-spot in the second.

“Being a young team, sometimes it’s good not to know the pressure,” Burke said. “They just put up a lot of quality at-bats, and we haven’t seen that in a while. With any young team they have highs and lows from day-to-day.

“Today they came clutch, put up quality at-bats, and played above their age, showing a lot of maturity … they climbed back and made this a game.”

Panthers head coach Frank Burke (second from left) talks to his pitcher and infield.

Seffner Christian will host a bracket of the eight-team Bronze division of the Saladino, beginning with Saturday’s 4 pm game against Spoto; while Bell Creek gets right back to it when Tampa Prep visits Friday afternoon.

Juelz Sidoti is fired up at second base after driving in two runs with a single, and taking second on an error.

Seffner Christian 11
Bell Creek 9

S 0(10)0|100|0 – |11|10|4
B 040|110|3 – |9|8|2
W – Tate; L – Miller; S – Stephens
2B – Bry. Nanns, Bra. Nanns (S); Benoit (B); 3B – Ortiz (S). Records – S (3-6); B (4-8).