Jefferson loses “identity” in state semifinal exit
Jefferson senior captain Joseph Fritz doubles in the Dragons lone run in the fifth inning of a 4-1 loss to Jacksonville Bishop Kenny in the FHSAA Class 4A state semifinal.
By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor
FORT MYERS – Silver linings will be saved for a day or two down the line. Friday afternoon, minutes after Jefferson fell 4-1 to Jacksonville Bishop Kenny in the FHSAA Class 4A state semifinal, the feelings were raw and the hurt was real.
Simply stated.
“When you’ve got a group of guys and a group of coaches who want it so bad,” an emotional Dragons head coach Spencer Nunez said, “this is a tough way to end it.”
The Dragons struggled mightily at the plate against Crusaders senior lefty Jack Newman, who tossed his second-straight complete-game, allowing one unearned run on just two hits and struck out four.
“In the fifth inning when I struck out the lefty (JaMarques Benton) after getting behind 3-0, then I struck him out on three pitches,” Newman said, “that’s when I knew, I came in the dugout, and I knew I was finishing this game.”
Crusaders senior and UNF signee Jack Newman tossed a complete-game, two-hitter to lead Bishop Kenny to Saturday’s state title game.
Newman did so efficiently, needing just 95 pitches, while throwing to contact, and despite two errors behind him, the North Florida signee didn’t find himself in much trouble in the game.
“I’d say when I’m in there, I’m not trying to strike everyone out,” Newman said. “I’m trying to let them hit it to my players and I did that a lot, and that keeps my pitch-count low and allows me to go more than five innings.”
Crusaders sophomore Derek Heideman connects on one of his two singles in the game. He scored twice for Bishop Kenny in the win.
The lone Jefferson (20-8) error gave Bishop Kenny (19-10) an early lead as Derek Heideman (single up the middle) scored on a bad throw on a softly hit ball in-between the plate and third base.
“I didn’t think we played to our identity today,” Nunez said. “We didn’t play great defense, we didn’t get base runners on to create that controlled chaos on the bases.”
Heideman would again leadoff the fourth with a second hit, and score what would prove the deciding run on an Andrew McWilliams double slapped down the left field line. The Crusaders would salt away the win as Trey Seeker (2-for-4) drove in a pair with a ground ball through shortstop.
“Going into that at-bat, our coaches had been preaching situational hitting the whole time,” Seeker said. “Someone had to get it done … I got lucky and it rolled my way and we got two runs off that hit, which was huge for us.”
Senior Trey Seeker connects on a two-run, ground ball single to give his team some cushion in the fourth inning.
Jefferson senior John Valle was tagged with the loss, pitching four innings and allowing all four runs (three earned), on seven hits and a pair of walks and finished with two strikeouts. He gave way to fellow senior Alejandro Aguilar, who worked two no-hit innings of relief.
“I think (John) battled without his stuff today,” Nunez said. “He threw 46 really good innings for us and we held a team ERA under 1.60, and he was a big part of that. I don’t think he had his best stuff today, but he battled for his team and it’s just unfortunate to end it that way.”
Dragons senior pitcher John Valle.
“Aguilar went out there and held it at four, he did his job,” the Dragons coach said. “He got a hit with two outs late in the game, he’s just a kid you expect that from.”
The Dragons took advantage of a two-out Crusaders error, which allowed Isiah Fernandez to reach in the fifth. Fernandez would swipe second, and score on a double lined into left from senior Joseph Fritz.
“I just knew he’d steal and then I had to get him over,” Fritz said. “I just sat fastball the whole AB, fighting off the off-speed, knowing that he threw me first-pitch curveball in my previous at-bats, so I laid off of those and waited for that middle-middle fastball.”
Jefferson’s Isiah Fernandez makes the turn toward third base, on his way home scoring Jefferson’s run in the fifth.
Jefferson finished 7-3 in its final 10 games, and with just four seniors departing, have high hopes for next year and beyond. However, Friday afternoon that outlook took a backseat to an unexpected and abrupt end to the season.
“I think everyone came into this game expecting that we were going to go on to the next one,” Fritz said. “So, we played a little too mellow … after that they scored a couple of runs – this is just a tough one to take.”
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- Dragons junior Hayden Sekanick made the defensive play of the game, coming up firing on a Franco Chaluja single and ending the third inning with a throw to get a runner at third base.
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- Jefferson third baseman Cameron Copple gloves a chopper before throwing for an out at first base.
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- Senior Alejandro Aguilar pitched two scoreless innings, facing the minimum.
Though disappointed that it ended just shy of a state final game, Nunez said he had nothing but pride for his young Dragons squad which should return 16 varsity players next season, and that this was a team that had a lasting impact on him in his third year as Jefferson’s head coach.
“I’m proud of every single one of them – all 20 guys, all six of our coaches,” Nunez said. “This is something we’ll remember forever.”
⚾ Class 4A State Semifinal ⚾
Jacksonville Bishop Kenny 4, Jefferson 1
J 000|010|0 – |1|2|1
B 010|300|x – |4|7|2
W – Newman; L – Valle
2B – Fritz (J); McWilliams (B). Records – J (20-8); B (19-10).
