Bitman, Brown go deep as Crusaders rally on Chargers

Tampa Catholic senior Cole Bitman belted a three-run homer in the sixth to tie the game as the Crusaders rallied for a 4-3 victory against Strawberry Crest to wrap up a 3-0 Saladino Gold Division pool-play round.

By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor

PLANT CITY – Six pitches into the game, Strawberry Crest had put up two runs on an inside-the-park home run from Rueben Vasquez and a solo homer from Nico Cappucci (who also homered twice in Tuesday’s morning game against Wharton), but as Tampa Catholic had done in its first two Saladino Tournament pool games – the Crusaders know how to keep it close and strike when necessary.

Even if it’s down to the wire.

Trailing by three in the sixth, Chargers starting pitcher Saxon Shah finally started to scuffle walking a pair with one out, which ending the junior’s day on the mound. That gave the Crusaders a threat and captain Cole Bitman erased the deficit immediately smashing a ball over the fence to right field, followed one batter later by fellow lefty Blake Brown with his own dinger as Tampa Catholic rallied for a 4-3 win and locked up a Saladino semifinal spot.

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“We really needed a big swing to get things going and we got that from Bitman,” Brown said. “It was all about everyone doing their job and keeping us going, and I had a chance to come up and just try and put a good swing on a ball.”

Tampa Catholic junior Blake Brown watches his go-ahead solo home run sail out to right field. 

Prior to the two big flies, Tampa Catholic had struggled at the plate with just three singles on the day.

“It was an amazing feeling,” Bitman said. “We were struggling a little bit hitting today, so I was patient in the box, saw two curveballs both for strikes, but I knew he was going to come at me with a fastball. I got that fastball and I hit it.”

He admitted he and Brown had taken note of the generously listed 300-foot sign at the rightfield corner of Plant City High’s ball field.

“As a lefties we were staring at that short-porch,” Bitman said of he and Brown. “We both hit the ball pretty well and they both got out.”

Crusaders starting pitcher Finn Fluker went six innings, allowed three runs on eight hits and earned the win.

Strawberry Crest (10-5) extended its lead in the third when Bubba Blount singled to leftfield to score Toby Highsmith, and the Chargers put two aboard in the sixth, but the Crusaders defense and starting pitcher Finn Fluker (eight hits, one walk, one strikeout) kept the deficit right there.

Bubba Blount drove in a run in the third inning with a single to leftfield.

In the fifth an error allowed Cappucci to move to third and with some defensive confusion left the plate uncovered, but Fluker with the ball in front of the mound won a foot race to the plate to tag out and hold the Chargers from adding on.

Tampa Catholic pitcher Finn Fluker dives to tag out Nico Cappucci as he tries to score after a three-base error in the fifth.

Aydan Popielarcheck and DJ Ford walked in the sixth setting up Bitman’s three-run homer, before Brown gave his team the lead with the solo shot.

As Tampa Catholic had done in its two previous pool-play wins, with a lead in hand turned the ball over to starting second baseman Christian Serralles who worked around a two-out Vasquez single with three ground outs to third base to record his third save of the tournament.

“He’s a big factor on this team,” Brown said of Serralles. “When we need to finish a game, we go to him and he gets us where we need to be.”

Bitman agreed.

“Whenever he comes in, we are all confident he’s got it,” he added. “We know he’s gonna shut it down because he has the confidence to get it done.”

Christian Serralles pitched a scoreless seventh inning, earning his third save in as many tournament games. 

The admiration was mutual as Serralles credited the team captain with making a huge impact on the attitude that has led the Crusaders to a 13-1 start to the season.

“Cole has just been outstanding, even when he’s not up he’s just a really big part of this team,” Serralles said. “He makes things happen when we need something big, and he’s there for everybody else whenever we need him.”

Strawberry Crest SP Saxon Shah

Shah pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Chargers and allowed just three hits in a losing effort. He gave up three singles, the two costly walks and struck out three.

Blake Brown ducks under the congratulatory smacks of his teammates as he heads back to the dugout after giving TC the lead in the sixth.

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Tampa Catholic 4
Strawberry Crest 3

S 201|000|0 – |3|9|2
T 000|004|x – |4|4|1
W – Fluker (2-1); L – Shah (4-3); S – Serralles (3)
HR – Vasquez, Cappucci (S); Bitman, Brown (T). Records – S (10-5); T (12-1).

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Chargers freshman 2B Jaxon Beattie throws for an out.

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TC starting pitcher Finn Fluker

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Josh Cespededs setup a Chargers run in the third with a fly ball to move up a pair of runners

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Strawberry Crest senior Toby Highsmith slides into third base after tagging up on a Josh Cespedes fly out. Highsmith would score a few moments later on Bubba Blount’s RBI single.

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Chargers SS Nico Cappucci gloves a chopper.

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Tampa Catholic SS Jack Smythe steadies for a throw across the diamond.

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Crusaders 1B Jayden Mera takes a ground ball himself for an out at first.

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Strawberry Crest senior catcher Toby Highsmith

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Chargers 1B Bubba Blount goes up and snags a high throw and came down on the bag for an out.

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Chargers RP Ivan Sada

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Crusaders junior DJ Ford celebrates Cole Bitman’s power by pointing at his biceps while jogging around the bases following his captain’s three-run homer.