Lockler leads senior arms as Gaither tops Durant

Noah Lockler was honored to draw the mound start on Senior Night, saying, “On a night like this, the game is bigger than us. It’s for the coaches, our families … I take a lot of pride in this team and pride in the journey I’ve been on these four years.”

By Chuck Frye, Senior Staff Writer

TAMPA – On a chilly Tuesday night, a Gaither squad fired up to celebrate its seniors, was ready to play right from the jump. For visiting Durant, playing in the last week of the regular season, the Cougars just couldn’t match the Cowboys’ energy, eventually dropping a 5-1 decision.

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Behind the precision of senior starter Noah Lockler, No. 5 Gaither put a stamp on the contest right from the first pitch and beyond.

“I was just trying to get ahead of every hitter, attack, get outs, then get us in the dugout and get our bats going (on offense),” said Lockler, a Pasco-Hernando College commit who was a man of his word. “Work quick, get ahead, get outs fast.”

Gaither student J.D. Carrero-Ramos, a winner of national trumpet competitions, plays the national anthem before the Cowboys’ final home game of the regular season.

Lockler’s first 11 pitches were strikes, finishing his four-inning stint throwing 30 of his 37 pitches over the plate, giving up just three hits while striking out four. He allowed an unearned run in the third when Jacob Purcell reaches third base on a throwing error with leadoff man Brennan Bailey’s first of two hits scoring the lone Cougars’ run.

“Noah was really good against Bloomingdale in the Saladino Tournament,” Cowboys head coach Nelson North said of Lockler’s 2-0 setback to the top-ranked and tourney champion Bulls. “He’s been pitching very, very well of late.”

Junior starter and Florida State commit Tristan Macpherson battled through control problems, walking five and hitting a batter in his two innings of work.

And his teammates wasted no time giving Lockler a comfortable cushion to work with.

Over the first 16 pitches of the bottom of the first, Martin Galo, junior Ryan Deak, and S.J. Branham drew free passes, with a throwing error and passed ball netting Gaither (18-4) its initial run. Deak got nipped at the plate on Albert Antinori’s single, but Ivan Vasquez followed with a soft line drive to center to load the bases for thoughtful senior Mathew Altman.

“I was really impressed with his gesture to pitch on Saturday, to give up pitching on Senior Night,” North said of his staff ace, 10-game winner, and Florida A&M commit. “That was a big deal for me and the team, a selfless act that I’ll always remember.”

Gaither senior Mathew Altman ups his celebration game after delivering a two-run, first-inning double.

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Drawing the start at first base, Altman celebrated by driving a rocket to centerfield – and into the teeth of a strong wind – for the game’s lone extra-base hit, a double that plated Branham and Antonori to set up a comfortable night for the hosts.

“I like when our hitters are aggressive and get an early lead for us because it just makes my job easier,” said Lockler, who only had to deal with two runners in scoring position.

Gaither leadoff man Martin Galo beat Durant pitcher Tristan Macpherson to the plate to score on a first-inning passed ball.

Altman’s generosity allowed North to stretch out his staff in preparation for the upcoming playoffs and let more Cowboy arms revel in pitching with a lead.

Senior Adam Smolka fires a pitch during his 1-2-3 sixth-inning stint.

A trio of seniors did the trick beginning with lefty Cole Chewning, who yielded a walk and a single in his scoreless fifth inning. Adam Smolka turned in a 1-2-3 sixth featuring a nice grab by centerfielder Vasquez on a deep fly ball, before Carter Kindberg gave up a harmless Tanner Gonser infield single then closed out the seventh.

“We got everything done the way we wanted it,” North said. “I’m pleased that we got the Senior Night win and gave a little better comfort for some pitchers that hadn’t worked for us for a while like (Chewning) to go in and throw a scoreless inning.”

With a comfortable lead to work with, senior reliever Carter Kindberg breezed through the Durant order in the seventh inning to close out Gaither’s Senior Night victory.

For Durant (12-7), it’s a case of going back to the drawing board.

“We can’t put ourselves in a hole like that to the extent we did against a team like (Gaither),” said Cougars head coach Butch Valdes. “It was unfortunate … seven walks, two hit batters … too many free passes. We got more hits than (the Cowboys, five to four) but we created more errors (three in all including a fourth-inning throwing gaffe that scored Galo and Deak with the game’s final runs) and gave them more opportunities. They were able to take advantage, and we didn’t.”

Taking the throw from leftfielder Brennan Bailey, Durant catcher Jacob Purcell outs down the tag to erase Ryan Deak trying to score in the first inning.

Galo shined from the top spot in the lineup without a hit, earning three walks and scoring twice.

“I go to the plate thinking specific zones,” Galo said of his approach. “I have a tight zone early and I’m aggressive if the ball’s in there. Later in the count, the zone expands and I’m looking to see the ball early to handle curves and either spoil the pitch or drive it. I try to stay even-keeled because that makes me a better hitter.”

Albert Antinori bursts around third base and sprints home to score on Mathew Altman’s first-inning double.

Galo and the Cowboys will be looking to finish the season strong on the road Thursday against Sumner while the Cougars wrap up with a home date against King.

“I’d like us to hit a little more consistently,” North concluded. “I think the kids try to do too much and we just have to get them to relax. They’re a good team with good chemistry, the pitching and defense are solid, and if the hitting does what it can do, we can put up some runs.”

Gaither third baseman Martin Galo elevates to throw out a Durant batter in sixth-inning action.

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#5 Gaither 5
Durant 1

Check back Wednesday morning for our game story.

D 001|000|0 – |1|5|3
G 300|200|x – |5|4|2
W – Lockler (5-2); L – Macpherson (2-2)
2B – Altman (G). Records – D (12-7); G (18-4).

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Cougars rightfielder Tanner Gonser pulls in an Ivan Vasquez fly ball to end the second inning. Gonser had a walk and a single offensively for Durant.

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Courtesy runner Mikkel Villacres, in for catcher Jacob Purcell who reached on a three-base throwing error, scores Durant’s lone run of the game on a third-inning Brendan Bailey single.

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Durant freshman Travis Gonser gave up a leadoff walk but retired the next three Gaither batters he faced in the sixth inning.

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