Runs came early and often as Jesuit earns final four spot
Senior Wes Mendes tossed four innings, striking out seven to help the reigning 5A state champs earn a spot in the FHSAA final four (photo courtesy of Mike Gallagher).
By Brett Goodrich, Correspondent
– Thanks to Mike Gallagher for our cover photo from last night’s game
TAMPA – It is that time of year, where perennial state power Jesuit finds another gear on the field – playoff time, that is. In Tuesday’s Class 5A regional final, and the Tigers pounced early and never looked back, as the reigning state champs were able to score in each of their five frames, punching their ticket to head back to the final four, winning 12-2 against visiting Osceola.
The Tigers offense was seemingly unstoppable on the night collecting their dozen runs on 13 hits, seven walks and a hit batsman forcing an early, mercy-rule finish. The scoring started in the first after Vincent DeCarlo doubled in Jake Kulikowski from second base on a well-struck double to right center field. Grant Jordan would score the second run of the inning after a slow roller to second resulted in a fielder’s choice that retired the hitter.
Vincent DeCarolo (#27) and Zane Pestalozzi (#6) combined to go 5-for-6 with two doubles and five RBI for the Tigers (photo by B. Goodrich).
In the second, the Tigers plated three more runs. After a walk and hit batter set the table DeCarlo delivered for another RBI – his second double in as many innings. After an intentional walk, the second of the game to Noah Sheffield, Joshua Hines and Zane Pestalozzi came through with back-to-back RBI singles.
Jesuit (26-4) added three more in the third highlighted by RBI singles from Kulikowski, Jordan and Pestalozzi.
By the time the Tigers had hung nine on the scoreboard, senior southpaw, Wes Mendes was perfect through three. This came to an end in the fourth when he issued a one-out walk, which was followed by a single off the bat of Eli Daraphet. The Warriors (22-7) got on the scoreboard on an RBI single by senior Nolan Fitzpatrick, and a second run scored on a passed ball.
Mendes finished his night after the fourth, giving up two runs on two hits, a pair of walks and seven strikeouts. Tigers senior John Abraham threw a perfect ten-pitch final frame, while striking out two.
Jesuit was able to tack on two more in the fourth, despite being held hitless, thanks to three errors from the Osceola defense and two sac flies by Mendes and Jordan. Hines and Pestalozzi added hits in the fifth, before Jacob Lozano ended the game early with an RBI double into right field.
Jesuit put on a clinic offensively, but DeCarlo and Pestalozzi were clutch combining to go 5-for-6 with a walk and five RBIs.
Pestalozzi said the team’s preparation this week led to their success. “We knew we weren’t going to see the velo we are used to, and the coaches had us hitting off slow machines and we worked a lot on hitting off-speed.”
The Tigers had seven players collect an RBI and five players gathered at least two hits.
Jesuit will compete for a spot in the championship game on Monday May 22 in Fort Myers, facing off against Sebring (24-6) at 1pm from Hammond Stadium.
⚾ Class 5A-Region 3 Final ⚾
Class 5A-Region 3 champion – Jesuit Tigers (Photo provided by Mike Gallagher).
Jesuit 12, Osceola 2 (5)
O 000|20x|x – |2|2|3
J 243|21x|x – |12|13|0
W – Mendes (4-0); L – Tuttle
2B – DeCarlo 2, Lozano, Thompson (J). Records – O (22-7); J (26-4).
