Magadan locks down Bulls semifinal win
Bulls senior Jacob Magadan celebrates his game-ending strikeout, preserving a 6-5 Bloomingdale win against Plant City in the 6A-District 11 semifinal.
By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor
VALRICO – Tuesday’s Class 6A-11 district semifinal appeared headed toward a rout for the home team, as the Bulls put up six runs in the first two frames. But five innings later, pitcher Jacob Magadan was needed for a steep challenge as Bloomingdale had to fend off Plant City for a 6-5 win, the senior ending the game with the bases loaded with two strikeouts.
“I just had to settle in and find my pitches,” Magadan said. “I’ve faced them twice, so I knew what works and I had to trust it.”
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Plant City (14-12) worked a pair of walks and a hit batter off Bulls reliever Johnny De La Rosa, before Bloomingdale turned to Magadan with one out in the seventh. The righty (and usual starting pitcher) issued a free pass to Adan Longoria to bring the Raiders within a run, but squashed the rally there with a strikeout swinging and a called strike three to the next two he faced. Magadan earned the save, after previously winning a complete-game effort against the Raiders on March 23.
“I’ve been a starting pitcher this year, but coming in as a reliever reminds me of last year,” Magadan said. “You’ve got to love stuff like this. You live for it.”
Primarily a starter this season, Magadan came in with the bases loaded in the seventh inning.
The second one-run win for the Bulls at home against the Raiders was a battle throughout, but one in which Plant City head coach Mike Fryrear thought his team gave away too many chances, including leaving six in scoring position on the night.
“Every time we come here and play them, it is a dogfight,” Fryrear said. “Bloomingdale is a great team and they had a great approach tonight, I have a lot of respect for those guys over there. But we beat ourselves in this one, too.”
It was the Raiders getting on the board first, as Anthony Palestrini lined a double to the fence in center, but Plant City wasn’t able to extend the lead.
Plant City senior Anthony Palestrini sends an RBI double to the wall in center in the first inning.
Bloomingdale (16-8) found little trouble stacking hits in its first time through the order against the Raiders starting pitcher Longoria. Pierce Collins sent the second pitch he saw into centerfield, followed by a walk to Coop Hinson, and the PC lead was short-lived as Bulls senior Alex Vazquez deposited a three-run homer over the wall. With two aboard, the captain missed on two opportunities to get down a bunt to move the runners, so Vazquez admitted he was focused more on getting a job done than sending one out.
Bloomingdale senior Alex Vazquez leaps into the dugout after his three-run homer in the first.
“I just wanted to do something for the team with runners on first and second,” Vazquez said. “I’m a pretty good two-strike hitter, and Wilk (Bulls head coach Kris Wilken) trusts me, so I just had a poke out there.”
Vinny Dinzeo would build the lead a bit more, doubling to left to score Dawson Rankin. Collins started the second with his second hit (single), and Tyler Clinton and Rankin would follow in the inning with RBI hits.
Vinny Dinzeo fires up the home dugout after doubling in a run.
After allowing the first-inning run, Bulls starter Eli Davidson would strike out the next five he faced. It wasn’t until the third where the Raiders would get back on the board, as Ray Cowen singled and scored one pitch later as Colin Pellicer (1-for-2, two walks, three runs) smashed a no-doubter over the wall in left.
Colin Pellicer is congratulated by Raider coach Mike Fryrear, rounding third after his two-run home run.
Pellicer would walk and score on a wild pitch in the fifth, but Davidson (5ip, four runs, four hits, eight K’s) would strand a runner at third to end his night with his team in the lead.
Bulls starting pitcher Eli Davidson earned his fifth win of the season.
A dropped third strike and a Wyatt Fordham single started the sixth, and a sac bunt by Deven Gonzalez moved both runners up 90 feet, but the chance was squandered on a check-swing double-play as De La Rosa fielded the ball from the mound, looked the runner back to third and threw for the out at first.
Bulls shortstop AJ Cruz hauls in a pop up in the third inning.
However, Fordham misread the play and charged toward third. Vazquez ran first toward the runner retreating to second, flipped it to shortstop AJ Cruz, who sent a strike home to Dinzeo to tag out Chase Mobley at the plate.
“We know who we are,” said Bulls third baseman Collins. “And as long as we keep battling through, we just find ways to win games like we’ve been doing.”
Plant City’s Zane Wright pitched four shutout innings of relief.
Helping Plant City in its comeback campaign, was lights-out pitching from Zane Wright, who took over on the mound in the third and pitched four shutout frames, striking out four and allowing one hit and two walks.
Bloomingdale will travel to Lennard on Thursday, to face the top-seeded Longhorns at 7pm for the district title.
⚾ 6A-11 Semifinal ⚾
Bloomingdale junior Pierce Collins frames the “Bulls” name across his chest after his first-inning leadoff double.
T-#7 Bloomingdale 6, Plant City 5
P 102|010|1 – |5|5|2
B 420|000|x – |6|10|0
W – Davidson (5-1); L – Longoria; S – Magadan (1)
2B – Palestrini, Longoria (P); Collins, Hinson, Dinzeo (B); HR – Pellicer (P); Vazquez (B). Records – P (14-12); B (16-8).
