Hurricanes storm Crusaders with two big innings in region Game 1

Hurricanes storm Crusaders with two big innings in region Game 1

Bishop McLaughlin senior Elvys Quezada lets out a yell after wrapping up the Hurricane’s win in Game 1 of the Class 2A-Region 3 quarterfinal series at Tampa Catholic. The best-of-three series got underway Monday with Bishop McLaughlin scoring a 10-5 win, thanks in-part to a five-run third inning sparked by Quezada’s flared two-run single into shallow right. The senior would move from shortstop to the mound in the seventh with the bases loaded and finish off the win.

By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor

TAMPA – A week ago in the district semifinal a costly error in the bottom of the seventh allowed Tampa Catholic to scratch back two runs, force extra innings against Bishop McLaughlin, and eventually score a one-run win in the ninth before going on to claim the title a game later.

On Monday, in the opening game of the quarterfinal round against the same Crusaders, the Hurricanes made two errors in the opening frame helping the region No. 1-ranked Tampa Catholic to three runs.

Click here for more photos from this game.

But no panic set in for Bishop McLaughlin, as it battled back with a pair of big innings, and rode the steady arm of junior righty Steele Thalleen to a 10-5 victory – washing away two losses to the Crusaders this season and putting the Hurricanes in control of the best-of-three playoff series.

Tampa Catholic senior Jose Carrero smashes a single into the ground driving in the game’s first run.

Tampa Catholic (20-8) got one aboard in the first on an error, before Jose Carrero sent a single through the middle to drive in the game’s first run. Carrero stole second and scored on a Dominic Woodward hit, who in-turn stole second and advanced a base on a Carson Arnold hit, then scored on a misplayed ball at first as the Crusaders hung three runs in the first inning.

TC senior Dominic Woodward watches his RBI single go into right field in the first inning.

Crusaders junior Talan Miranda, who worked around two first-inning BMCHS singles, retired the side in order in the second inning, but it was a TC error in the third that unraveled things on the host team.

Tampa Catholic 2B Jack Smythe leaps to catch a throw as Bishop’s Jadin Soto steals second.

Jadin Soto reached on an error before Miranda picked up his third strikeout for the second out of the inning, but then walks started to hurt, first loading the bases, before a free pass to Dominic Zito put the Hurricanes on the board. Elvys Quezada would tie the game with an in-betweener, two-run single off the glove of the second baseman and Conner McGuire put Bishop McLaughlin ahead with a two-run single to centerfield.

“Everyone has a job to do and it’s about not trying to do too much,” Hurricanes head coach Rob Ducey said. “… Just put the ball in play and you never know what could happen. You have a fisted, two-run single off the second baseman’s glove and we built from there. Put it in play and you always have a chance.”

Elvys Quezada went down and flared a low and away pitch just out of reach of the second baseman in shallow right field to score a pair of runs and tie the game in the third inning.

“I was in my two-strike approach, just trying to fight stuff off,” Quezada said. “It ducked in, it was a break, and those are the breaks you need. Those breaks get you going.”

Freshman Conner McGuire shrugs off his two-run single in the third, which gave the Hurricanes the lead.

In the regular season meeting between the two teams on March 12th, Bishop made five errors as the Crusaders put the Hurricanes away with ease 11-0, and though crucial to answer and not let that first inning snowball on them, according to the senior Zito he and his teammates weren’t thinking about the past.

“It’s a clean slate once the playoffs start,” Zito said. “Everyone is zero-zero, and nothing that happened before really matters … they scored, now we had to just come back at them.”

Crusaders junior Jonathan Hall rounds third heading home, scoring one of his two runs in the game.

The two teams would trade runs in the fourth, Bishop McLaughlin (12-13) getting a leadoff walk from Jadin Soto, who eventually scored on a passed ball; and Tampa Catholic stringing together singles from Chris Smith and Lucas Cinnante, before Cal Johnson drove in a run with a groundout to shortstop.

An excuse-me swing from Cal Johnson fights a ball to the shortstop, good enough to drive in a run from third base in the fourth inning.

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Hurricanes senior Keith Jacobs was 2-for-5 with a run scored.

The Hurricanes offense would get going again in the sixth, senior Keith Jacobs sending his second single of the game into centerfield, followed by Chris Rodriguez beating out an infield hit – one of his four hits in the game, and Tyler Pizzo going to left field with a knock to load the bases.

Rodriguez, who posted his second-straight, four-hit game and leads the Hurricanes with a .368 average drew praise from Ducey after the game.

“Chris has obviously turned into our best hitter,” he said. “He’s done everything I’ve asked him to do over the course of four years. He’s a student of the game and I wish him all the best at Southeastern (University, next year).”

Bishop McLaughlin leading hitter Chris Rodriguez collects one of his four hits on the night.

From there it would be a business trip for Zito who tucked a bases-clearing triple just inside the first-base line, cruising into the bag standing up with just a firm handshake for head coach Ducey as his modest celebration.

“It’s only game one,” Zito said with chuckle, “I don’t want to get too excited.”

Senior Dominic Zito shakes hands with Bishop McLaughlin head coach Rob Ducey after his bases-clearing, stand-up triple in the sixth inning

Zito wouldn’t be there long as Quezada would bring him in on the next pitch with an infield single to second base.

Thalleen would work into the seventh inning, before running into trouble again. The junior allowed two earned runs, striking out five before giving up a leadoff hit to Cole Bitman (2-for-4) in the seventh, then hitting one and walking his final batter.

“He’s pitched very, very well this year,” Ducey said. “We’ve kicked the ball around a little bit this year and he’s unfortunately been the recipient of that. So, I’m very happy that the offense came through for him tonight and that he continued to do what he has all season for us on the mound.”

Steele Thalleen pitched six-plus innings, earning the win with two earned runs allowed and five strikeouts.

Quezada took over on the hill and a wild pitch would allow Jojo Hall (the speed-up runner for the catcher Bitman) to score his second run of the game, but no more.

“My mindset was to collect outs,” Quezada said. “We were up by a good margin, I’m just trying to fill up the zone and not give up anything stupid.”

“Steele is my brother, my best guy on this team,” he continued. “I love what he did tonight, bouncing back. He called us over early in the game, and told us, ‘you guys, we’re good. Let’s get back on it.’ He has the kind of leadership that you want from the guy on the mound.”

Elvys Quezada finished off the final three outs of the game for the Hurricanes.

The two teams return to action at Peter J. Mulry Field tonight at 7 pm, the Hurricanes attempting to lock up a spot in the region semifinals, while the Crusaders aim at forcing a deciding third game, which would move to Bishop McLaughlin in Spring Hill on Thursday.

⚾ Class 2A-Region 3 ⚾

Bishop McLaughlin 10
Tampa Catholic 5

B 005|104|0 – |10|13|3
T 300|100|1 – |5|8|1
W – Thalleen; L – Miranda
3B – Zito (B); J. Smythe (T). Records – B (12-13); T (20-8).

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