Mitzel, Herrmann homer as Buccaneers win 12th-straight
Berkeley Prep senior Parker Mitzel connects on a second-inning, three-run homer as the Buccaneers jumped on Wesley Chapel early.
By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor
TAMPA – Finishing February with a loss and a .500 record, Berkeley Prep’s players decided enough was enough.
When the Buccaneers took over Las Vegas by dominating the Bishop Gorman Invitational – winning the tournament two Thursdays ago with a drubbing of five-time defending Florida 7A champs Parkland Stoneman Douglas – Berkeley Prep had earned a much-deserved “Spring Break”.
But back in action at home on Friday against 2025 Class 5A state runner-up Wesley Chapel, the Buccaneers didn’t miss a beat, jumping out to five-run lead and holding off the Wildcats for an 8-3 victory – claiming Berkeley Prep’s 12th-straight win.
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!
“With the whole Bishop Gorman tournament – after proving we can compete with the best – we have a different kind of confidence as a team,” senior Parker Mitzel said. “I feel like we wanted to jump out and destroy the other team from the start.”
After Berkeley Prep (16-4) put up two runs in the first inning, Mitzel stepped to the plate with two aboard and unloaded on a baseball over the wall in left field.
“I’ve been struggling hitting up to my standards,” said Mitzel, last year’s 813Preps Hitter of the Year. “But that swing really lifted a weight off my chest, and honestly, I was in that two-strike approach, hands to the ball and when I hit it, I knew it was out.”
Berkeley Prep junior RHP Jett Walters earned the win with 5 2/3 innings, one earned run and five strikeouts.
Junior righty Jett Walters was happy for the hot start from his offense, and though he claimed not to have his “best stuff” worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on six hits and struck out five.
“It’s good to have that faith when I’m pitching that no matter what I do, even if I don’t have my stuff,” Walters said, “and I didn’t necessarily have it tonight, I know we are going to swing it. I know we are going to score runs.”
Sophomore Quinn McElfatrick (#33) goes ump for a forearm smash with Parker Mitzel after the senior’s three-run homer in the second inning.
Walters, who scored one of his two runs in the first on a single from Carson Binder, said the Buccaneers offense is the best he’s ever seen it.
“I have so much trust in our hitting,” Walters said. “Right now, I don’t think there is a team in this country that can stop us.”
Wesley Chapel 1B Mills Carrillo runs down a foul ball.
But Walters admitted it took a mindset adjustment after starting the year 4-4.
“We all came together after that fourth loss and said this isn’t going to happen,” Walters said. “We aren’t going to keep playing like this.”
Wildcats senior Dylan Pabon connects on one of his three hits in the game.
After spotting the Buccaneers a five-run lead, Wesley Chapel scratched back a run in the third, when Dylan Pabon (3-for-4, two runs) led off with a single and advanced to second on an error, eventually scoring on a productive Mills Carrillo groundout.
After the top of the third inning, slugger Josh Herrmann came into the dugout grimacing and was attended to by the Buccaneers trainer. Berkeley Prep medical professional Eddie Bunton worked on stretching out Herrmann’s shoulder (after a previously torn labrum held the Wake Forest commit out of the first 10 days of the season) and kept him in the game.
Josh Herrmann squeezes the first out of the game in centerfield.
An inning later, that work paid off, as Herrmann belted a fastball for a two-run homer to left – his fourth of the season.
“I’m still struggling with my shoulder a bit and I’m still rehabbing,” Herrmann said. “There are still some lingering issues, but Coach Eddie, the trainer helped me work it out.
“It loosened up and I was able to put a good swing on it. I saw a heater, middle-up and hit it as hard as I could.”
Josh Herrmann is greeted at the plate by JD Haughey (#13) and Jett Walters after the senior hit his fourth home run of the season.
Walters was appreciative of the support, and said the hard work to get back to action for Herrmann was no surprise from a player of his caliber and a person he admires.
“He’s as good as it gets,” Walters said. “There is nobody I’d rather hit behind than Josh Herrmann. I trust him to get on base, he finds a way – and as great a player as he is, he’s a better person.
Wesley Chapel (11-6) stayed in the fight, starting the fifth with singles from Bryce Fleming and Pabon, loading the bases on an error, and getting two runs courtesy of a Sean Roche walk and Aiden Nguyen productive out.
Wesley Chapel’s Aiden Nguyen drives a ground ball fielder’s choice to third base to drive in a run.
Mitzel hit a groundball to short in the sixth, good enough for a fielder’s choice and his fourth RBI of the game to round out the scoring.
Before that Walters picked up two outs in the sixth before Pabon’s third hit of the game would chase him from the mound. Junior Lucas Farrar moved to the bump from shortstop and worked his way around two walks before second baseman Mason Warren started a game-ending double play.
Berkeley Prep reliever Lucas Farrar
Berkeley Prep had an early morning on Saturday, turning things around for a noon start at Ocala’s Trinity Catholic, while the Wildcats face South Sumter on Monday.
⚾
#4 Berkeley Prep 8
Wesley Chapel 3
W 001|020|0 – |3|6|2
B 230|201|x – |8|8|3
W – Walters (4-2); L – Carrillo
2B – Pabon (W); HR – Mitzel, Herrmann (B). Records – W (11-6); B (16-4).
⚾
Jett Walters improved to 4-2 on the mound this season.
⚾
Wesley Chapel junior Nolan Hartley lined a single to center in the first inning.
⚾
Buccaneers 1B Ben O’Brien awaits a throw-over. O’Brien was 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI via a bases-loaded walk.
⚾
JD Haughey collects the first-inning-ending catch to strand a pair of Wildcats runners.
⚾
A tough start on the mound for Chapel’s Mills Carrillo, who lasted just one out and was tagged with a pair of runs before moving to first base.
⚾
Wildcats 2B Dylan Pabon makes a force out in the first inning.
⚾
Jett Walters slides in safely as he steals third base.
⚾
Carson Binder drives in the game’s first run with a single.
⚾
Lucas Farrar pulled his hands in to drive a single to centerfield.
⚾
Wesley Chapel reliever Nick Walters
⚾
Wildcats 3B Joey Como throws for an out.
⚾
JD Haughey drives a single into the hole between first and second for an infield single.
⚾
Parker Mitzel takes a good look at his three-run bomb in the second inning.
⚾
Drawing some excitement from the Buccaneers dugout as he heads to first base.
⚾
Wesley Chapel reliever Peyton Egbert
⚾
Josh Herrmann connects on his two-run homer …
⚾
… and receives congrats from Berkeley Prep head coach Richie Warren.
⚾
Bryce Fleming singled to start a two-run fifth for the Wildcats.
⚾
Wesley Chapel reliever Zorre Wright
⚾
Ben O’Brien goes the other way with a single out to rightfield.
⚾
Mills Carrillo takes a throw from Zorre Wright on a Mason Warren sac bunt to move a runner into scoring position.
⚾
Berkeley Prep reliever Lucas Farrar
⚾
Buccaneers senior Josh Herrmann slides in under Wildcats SS Nolan Hartley for a stolen base.
⚾
Jett Walters with the extension on his sixth-inning single to short.
⚾
Parker Mitzel gets a job done with an RBI fielder’s choice to add an insurance run late for Berkeley Prep.
