Mid-game rally earns Crusaders Game 1 win at Berkeley
Christian Serralles (2, right) taps helmets with Blake Brown (left) and Ty Fraga (11) after his fourth-inning solo home run. Serralles was 2-for-4, and earned his fifth save as the Crusaders took Game 1 of the best-of-three Class 2A-Region 3 Final series against Berkeley Prep, 7-4.
By Chuck Frye, Senior Staff Writer
TAMPA – Nothing rattles Tampa Catholic, and that comes from practice.
Any situation that could cross in the Crusaders’ path will be drilled and dealt with, making them better in the process. That attitude helped lead to a comeback victory in last weekend’s Class 2A-Region 3 semifinals, then paid off handsomely in Friday’s bounce-back 7-4 road victory over Berkeley Prep in the best-of-three regional final opener.
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“It’s a little nerve-racking,” said Tampa Catholic head coach Paul Russo Jr., “but they seem to get a little more juice when they’re coming from behind. They’re doing the right things in the right situations to bring themselves back.”
Berkeley Prep junior Jett Walters delivers a pitch to Tampa Catholic leadoff batter D.J. Ford.
Practice paid off against Sarasota Cardinal Mooney, shaking off a 4-0 deficit in Game 2 and riding out a two-day delay due to a rainout to turn the tide and sweep to the final.
“We run through the scenario during intersquad games in practice,” Russo explained. “The starting nine is down five runs and has to find a way back in three innings, so I think that kind of mindset going into that game helped.”
Crusaders junior Jack Smythe keeps his eye, and his bat, on the ball on a first-inning sacrifice bunt …
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… then is just nipped at first when Berkeley Prep second baseman Mason Warren catches pitcher Jett Walters’ throw.
And having that recent success made dealing with an early deficit easy for the Crusaders (now 25-6) to handle.
Going small ball (D.J. Ford lead-off walk, stole second, took third on Jack Smythe’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Cole Bitman sacrifice fly) gave TC a quick lead, but the Buccaneers (also 25-6) responded in the bottom of the first. Sending eight to the plate, Lucas Farrar’s RBI double and run-scoring singles from Parker Mitzel and Mason Warren netted Berkeley three runs.
D.J. Ford is greeted by his coaches and teammates after scoring the game’s first run.
A second-inning, two-out wild pitch brought home Ty Fraga (single) to slice the Bucs’ lead to a run but the hosts answered back quickly when clean-up man Carson Binder’s two-out line-drive single delivered Farrar (fielder’s choice).
That was all the challenge Tampa Catholic needed to light its comeback fire.
Bucs’ senior Parker Mitzel (left) cheers on Jett Walters (12) as the junior floats past the plate after scoring on Lucas Farrar’s first-inning double.
Trotting out its big bats, Christian Serralles led off the fourth by launching a rocket shot over the leftfield fence for his first home run of the season. One out later, lefty batter Blake Brown clocked a Jett Walters’ pitch over the rightfield fence for his team-best fifth round-tripper of the year to draw the Crusaders even.
“They seem like they’re locked in with their approaches at the plate,” Russo said of the offensive eruption. “The guys are getting big hits.”
Joyous teammates and coaches welcome Blake Brown (33) after his fourth-inning home run draws Tampa Catholic even with Berkeley Prep.
Then in the fifth, TC jumped on some atypically weak Berkeley Prep defense to seize more momentum. Kickstarted by a Smythe double, the Crusaders took the lead on a Bitman fielder’s choice as No. 9 batter Brayden Beauchaine (leadoff walk) beat the throw home. Back-to-back infield errors brought in Smythe and Bitman for a lead the visitors wouldn’t lose.
Parker Mitzell does his part at the plate, slapping a first-inning, opposite-field single to score Lucas Farrar.
While the Crusaders were dialing up their offense, starting pitcher Talan Miranda was bouncing back on the mound. After allowing nine base runners over the first two innings, Miranda set down seven batters in a row from the second to the fourth inning. Miranda battled through 4 2/3 innings, striking out five before turning things over to the bullpen.
“We told our guys before the game that we’ve got to score Talan some runs,” Russo said. “His last couple of outings, we haven’t been too offensive and that gets a little mentally draining for a pitcher, I’m sure. Our goal was to score runs for him because we knew he was going to keep us in the game.”
Senior Talan Miranda battled through 4 2/3 innings on the bump for Tampa Catholic, shaking off four early Berkeley Prep runs to hold the hosts scoreless for the rest of his stint.
Tampa Catholic didn’t quite hit its goal of the eight runs scored in its two wins over Cardinal Mooney, but its output stood up, especially when the defense stepped up big-time.
Facing reliever Finn Fluker in the sixth, Walters looked to turn the tide when he drove a fly ball to deep leftfield. Leaning on his practice repetitions, Ford put his back against the fence, leapt and robbed the Bucs’ leadoff man of a homer to give the Crusaders permanent possession of game-winning momentum.
“I work on it in practice so, in the game, I’m ready for it,” Ford explained. “I just see the ball and I go get it.”
After snagging a high throw, Berkeley Prep shortstop Lucas Farrar tries to tag out D.J. Ford, but the sophomore sneaks in for a first-inning stolen base.
“D.J.’s composure (has) been outstanding,” Russo said. “When you get in a big spot like that, robbing a home run, it settles our coaches’ heart rates down. And he knows his zone (at the plate). He took his walks (two of them) and didn’t try to overswing. He’s a hitter first and does everything he can to help us win ballgames.”
Christian Serralles continued his season as a lights-out closer, setting down Berkeley Prep in order in the seventh to pick up his fifth save.
With Ford’s help, Fluker retired the last four Berkeley batters he faced before turning things over to has closer Serralles, who earned his fifth save of the year via a 1-2-3 seventh.
“There’s four guys on the roster that get the team going: D.J., Jack Smythe, Cole Bitman, and Christian,” Russo said. “When these guys go, we all go.”
And if they’re going for Saturday afternoon’s game two (first pitch set for 1 p.m.), the Crusaders will be going to Fort Myers for the 2A final four.
⚾ Class 2A-Region 3 Final – Game 1 ⚾
Tampa Catholic 7
Berkeley Prep 0
T 110|230|0 – |7|8|0
B 310|000|0 – |4|7|5
W – Miranda (6-4); L – Walters (8-3); S – Serralles (5)
2B – Smythe (T); Walters, Farrar (B); HR – Serralles, Brown (T). Records – T (25-6); B (25-6).
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Second baseman Mason Warren’s tag is ready and waiting for Blake Brown as the junior was caught stealing in the second inning.
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Tampa Catholic’s Ty Fraga looks back at Berkeley Prep pitcher Jett Walters while scoring on a second-inning wild pitch.
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Jett Walters drops down low to celebrate his second-inning double.
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Crusaders third baseman Oscar Cambero just gets the tag down in time to catch Jett Walters trying to advance on a second-inning grounder.
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Tampa Catholic catcher Cole Bitman catches a late throw as Lucas Farrar (5) scores a second-inning run. It would turn out to be the last run Berkeley Prep scored against the visiting Crusaders.
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Buccaneers catcher Carson Binder extends to tag D.J. Ford just before the sophomore tagged the plate for a third-inning out.
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Crusaders third baseman Oscar Cambero fires to first for a fourth-inning out.
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Jett Walters holds his pitching hand awkwardly after suffering an apparent cramp in the fifth inning. After attention from Berkeley Prep’s training staff, Walters stayed in the game.
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Bucs second baseman Mason Warren reacts in disbelief when Brayden Beauchaine is called safe on a fifth-inning steal.
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As catcher Carson Binder lunges to catch the ball, Brayden Beauchaine tumbles across the plate in the fifth inning for what would be the deciding tally in Tampa Catholic’s regional final victory.
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Crusaders catcher Cole Bitman offers words of encouragement to reliever Finn Fluker (5) after a fifth-inning walk loaded the bases. The conversation worked as Fluker coaxed a ground out to end the inning.
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Throwing a variety of off-speed pitches, freshman Owen Schmitt worked 2 2/3 innings of no-hit, scoreless relief for the Bucs, striking out two.
