Class 4A State Semifinal Primer

TAMPA – In just his third season at the helm, head coach Spencer Nunez has brought his Dragons team to the state semifinal for the second time. The Dragons blend a mix of solid pitching and aggressive hitting and base running that creates chances and scores plenty of runs. Six Dragons batters have at least 24 hits on the year with solid senior leadership from longtime players and current captains Alejandro Aguilar (.306 avg, 24 RBI), Joseph Fritz (.312, 18 runs, 13 RBI), and Jayden Vazquez. But it has been the Dragons pitching that has turned it up in the final stretch as Jefferson is 8-2 in its previous 10 games where opposing team have averaged two runs per game. Mikey Marroquin and Cameron Copple did the heavy lifting combining for six innings apiece as the Dragons defeated Dunedin in extra innings, so unfortunately their season’s on the mound have come to a close with the quick turnaround for states and the pitch-count rules established for arm care. However, the Dragons have senior fireballer John Valle ready for the state semis, with Aguilar (0.71 ERA in 29-plus innings, with 40 K’s) and Cameron Mallo (1.40 ERA, and a two K-per-inning average) ready for relief and a possible championship game.

Who: #3 Jefferson (20-7) v #2 Jacksonville Bishop Kenny (18-10)
When/Where: Friday, May 19, 4 pm;
Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Parkway Fort Myers, Florida 33912
Admission: $9 per day if purchased in advance via GoFan, and $12 if purchased day-of
Parking: $10 for cars/$50 for busses (cash and credit cards accepted)

How they got here

Jefferson was the 4A-District 10 champion, then defeated Robinson, 2-1 in nine innings; defeated Lakeland McKeel Academy, 11-2; and defeated Dunedin, 6-1 in 12 innings to reach the State Semifinal. Bishop Kenny was the 4A-District 3 champion, then defeated Alachua Santa Fe, 1-0; defeated Santa Rosa Beach South Walton, 3-1; defeated Glen St. Mary Baker County, 3-2 to reach the state semifinal. Jefferson won the 2018 Class 6A state title and was a 2021 Class 5A state semifinalist, while Bishop Kenny won state titles in 2002 & 2008.

Three Dragons to Watch

Jayden Vazquez, OF

With more than 80 varsity starts for the Dragons, the 6-foot-1 right hander has been a consistent staple in the middle of the lineup for a long time. He is a career .332 hitter – including a .379 mark this season with 13 RBI, 22 runs, nine doubles and 19 stolen bases. Speedy and aggressive, Vazquez covers a ton of ground in the outfield.

John Valle, RHP

In his only season with the Dragons the senior hurler has drawn a lot of scouts to West Tampa this spring to see the mid-90s fastball of the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder. Valle is 4-2 on the mound this season, with a 1.50 ERA, and has 42 strikeouts in 42 innings.

Cameron Mallo, SS

In his first season at Jefferson the junior has proven to be a constant spark both at the plate and with impressive defense from shortstop. A pesky contact hitter with just 10 strikeouts in 104 plate appearances, he sports a team-leading .420 average, 25 runs, 14 RBI and eight doubles. On defense he’s made just three errors and has a .986 fielding percentage.

Three Crusaders to Watch

Jack Newman, LHP/1B: The University of North Florida signed senior lefty has a 5-3 record with a 1.01 ERA and 53 strikeouts this season. He most recently pitched in the Crusaders’ 3-1 region semifinal win against South Walton, where the 5-foot-9 hurler tossed a complete game, allowing one unearned run on two hits with seven strikeouts. Newman also plays first base and is hitting .289 for Bishop Kenny with 26 RBI, eight doubles and four home runs.
Michael Saunders, SS: The junior middle infielder is hitting .271 with 17 RBI and 11 runs scored.
Franco Chaluja, C: The Crusaders backstop is hitting .342 on the year with four doubles and nine RBI.