Cappucci blasts two as Chargers down Wharton 11-0

Strawberry Crest senior Nico Cappucci with the clean, running low-five with Chargers head coach Eric Beattie as he rounds third on his second home run of the game. Cappucci also added an RBI single in his first at-bat before his first-ever two-home run game.

By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor

PLANT CITY – Strawberry Crest made a Wharton error hurt in the second innings as the Chargers followed up the free base runner by ripping off seven hits, including the deciding run on a Reuben Vasquez single lined to left and a two-run Toby Highsmith (4-for-4, four runs scored) double the same direction, to give the team’s four pitchers all the support the needed for the win.

All the NEEDED support, but not all the support as senior Nico Cappucci salted away the win with an RBI single, then added his first multi-home run game of his baseball career finishing the game with five RBI and helping Strawberry Crest to an 11-0, six-inning win.

“A game like this is the biggest confidence boost I could ever ask for,” Cappucci said. “Going in, not having the season I’ve really wanted, having a two-bomb hit plus another hit, it just gives me the confidence to keep attacking.”

We absolutely love being out there covering our local baseball action, but we need support from our audience to make it happen. Please consider supporting us: Support our work at 813Preps!

The Cappucci swing that put things way out of reach in the sixth inning driven over the fence in right field at Plant City High.

Strawberry Crest (10-4) freshman Jayden Taylor picked up the win with two scoreless innings in his start, working around four hits with four strikeouts, before a trio of relievers – Asher Stoltzfus went 1 2/3 innings (two strikeouts) , Tripp House 2/3 inning and Josh Cespedes 1 2/3 innings (three strikeouts) held the Wildcats hitless the rest of the way.

Strawberry Crest senior Asher Stoltzfus struck out a pair in his 1 2/3 innings of relief.

Knowing the challenge of a two-game day, Taylor was focused to do his job for his team as they looked to rally after a pool-play Game 1 loss to Plant City to keep hope alive as Strawberry Crest hopes to advance for the second-straight year (last year’s Saladino runner-up). He said he wasn’t looking to do too much, but found his slider very early for success.

“Anything to win the game and do my job,” Taylor said. “My slider was working really well and I knew I had to go after them.”

Strawberry Crest senior RHP Tripp House

Cappucci said during the team’s pregame meeting, the confidence was high and specifically mentioned the day’s freshman starter, Taylor and his faith in him as they needed a win after dropping the first game of pool play on Saturday.

“Our entire team is built around trust and belief in each other,” he said. “We believed, all of us, that JT was gonna come in and absolutely shut it down. That all our pitchers were going to shut them down today, our hitters were going to do their job and we knew how much we needed this win.”

Click here for our photo gallery from this game.

Yusvanny Parra (run scored) lined a single to right field to score the Chargers final run of the game, while Rueben Vasquez and Josh Cespedes had early RBI singles in the second.

Chargers junior Yusvanny Parra turns around a letter-high pitch for an RBI single in the sixth inning.

Wharton (8-4) senior Tomas Rivera had a first-inning double, and loaded the bases in the second with singles from Chase Andress, Jeremiah Brown and Chris Stroud but couldn’t get on the scoreboard; and added just two scattered walks and a hit batter to the offensive tally on the day.

The first of Nico Cappucci’s helmet taps after his home run in the fourth inning.

⚾

Strawberry Crest 11
Wharton 0 – six innings

S  060|203|x – |11|13|0
W 000|000|x – |0|4|4
W – Taylor (2-0); L – Evans
2B – Highsmith 2 (S); Rivera (W); HR – Cappucci (S). Records – S (10-4); W (8-4).

⚾

Chargers senior centerfielder Rueben Vasquez makes a catch while avoiding a collision with second baseman Adam Renfroe in the fourth inning.

⚾

Wharton reliever Brody Turer

⚾

Wildcats 2B Jairius Morris catches a line drive in the fifth.

⚾

Wharton SS Jeremiah Brown gloves a pop fly in the fifth.

⚾

Clearing the dirt from his glove the hustle-way, Strawberry Crest catcher Deagan Yahrmatter got out of the crouch in a hurry and gloves a foul pop to end the fifth inning as the Chargers dugout helps lean him into position. 

⚾

Chargers senior Toby Highsmith beats out an infield single for one of his FOUR hits in the game, setting up Cappucci’s two-run blast in the sixth.

⚾

Wharton righfielder Tomas Rivera makes a great catch on the run to end the sixth inning.

⚾

Josh Cespedes struck out the side in the final inning for Strawberry Crest.