Martinez walks it off for Jesuit’s comeback over Plant
By Rick Cantor
Staff Writer
TAMPA – Even a cool customer like Jesuit shortstop Jack Martinez admitted to having some nerves. Stepping up to the plate in front of a packed house with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th inning and down by a run, the senior took a first pitch curve for a strike.
“I stepped out of the box and looked at coach, and he told me to calm down. He saw it in my eyes,” said Martinez. “So, I got back in the box and told myself to relax, and just saw my pitch and smoked it.”
And smoke it he did, a deep-shot double to dead center plating two runs to complete a dramatic come back, 4-3 victory over Plant in a packed Hyer Family Park on Wednesday in the inaugural 813 Preps Bay Bash.
The Panthers (1-1) got on the board early courtesy of some uncharacteristically sloppy defense by the Tigers. A fly ball off the bat of Michael Hawks was dropped by usually sure handed Jesuit right fielder Jake Kulikowski, scoring courtesy runner Connor Fulmino.
It was one of three Jesuit errors in the first two innings.
An inning later Thomas Bolton walked to start the frame and advanced to third on a single by Conley Strayer (2-for-4). Bolton scored when Jesuit starter Ryan Denison balked him home.
Jesuit’s Jack Martinez and Brooks Chamberlin (photo by Rick Cantor).
The Tigers (2-0) would tie it up in the fourth when Martinez walked and scored on a triple by AJ Nessler, who then scored on a triple by Wes Mendes to tie it at two.
Plant answered in the top of the fifth as freshman Cash Strayer (2-for-4) and Thomas Bolton (2-for-4) laced back-to-back doubles to give the Panthers the lead once again.
With Plant seeming to have the momentum, Jesuit coach Miguel Menendez called on righty Brooks Chamberlin to keep the game close. The 6-foot-4 junior did just that, wriggling out of trouble in the sixth courtesy of a missed attempt on a squeeze by Plant and a strikeout on a high fastball. In the top of the seventh, it was a strike ‘em out throw ‘em out double play to end the inning.
“I went out and didn’t want to put any pressure on myself. Just put the ball over the plate, throw strikes,” said Chamberlin. “Once I got on the mound, I had a lot of adrenaline. The crowd got me going”
Chamberlin holding the line set up the dramatic final frame, as Josh Hines led off with a single, Jacob Lozano walked, and Clay Thompson singling to load the bases and set up Martinez’s walk-off.
“Coming into the game, it didn’t seem like we had a lot of energy,” said Martinez. “Plant put up a good fight. The bottom of the order got us back up to the top. We did our jobs.”
Both teams play their final Bay Bash games on Friday as the Tigers take on Strawberry Crest while Plant meets Seminole Osceola.
⚾⚾⚾⚾
(2) Jesuit 4
Plant 3
P 011|010|0 – |3|5|0
J 002|000|2 – |4|7|3
W – Chamberlin (1-0); L – Hawks (0-1)
2B – Ca. Strayer, Bolton (P); Martinez (J); 3B – Nessler, Mendes (J). Records – P (1-1); J (2-0).
