Jansen, Listerman set the pace for Lancers win

Cambridge Christian’s bench crowd around the plate as freshman Ian Jansen leaps home after belting his first high school home run. 

By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor

TAMPA – Cambridge Christian freshman Ian Jansen was playing a little follow-the-leader on Friday, as the Lancers welcomed Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) for an afternoon game at Skyway Park. CCS senior captain Brody Bellomo got his offense going early sending a screaming groundball down the leftfield line all the way to the fence for a double, one out later Jansen lined an RBI double into left, setting the pace for the Lancers as they pulled ahead, then staved off a SLAM rally, to take a 12-6 victory.

Click here for our full game photo gallery (more than 100 photos).

An inning later, Bellomo sent a ground ball to the shortstop and reached first when the ball was misplayed and rounded toward second, and as the throw sailed for the play’s second error (that allowed two runners to score), the senior charged around third and slid in before the tag for a Little League home-run.

Lancers senior Brody Bellomo charged around the bases in his second at bat, as two errors allowed him to complete a “Little League home run,” before a throw home to SLAM C Andrew Bunner.

In the hole, Jansen watched, but decided on the easier route – belting the first pitch of the at bat over the wall in left for his first high school home run.

“It felt great,” Jansen said. “That’s my first one since 13U. I was feeling really confident at the plate today and got my first high school home run.”

Elio Quero heads to the plate, scoring the Spartans first run in the second inning.

SLAM scored one run each in the second and third innings, but saw the Lancers build up a big lead over the next few innings, highlighted by a two-run double from junior Alex Quintero lined to right.

The support allowed Cambridge (2-1) freshman pitcher Trigg Listerman to find a steady, but unpressured, rhythm. The righty held the Spartans to a single earned run, on four hits and two walks, while striking out seven in his four innings.

Righty Trigg Listerman struck out seven, allowing one earned run to earn his first win of the season. 

Listerman said the steady offensive outpouring made his job on the mound much easier.

“That was fantastic to see,” Listerman said of the offensive support. “Everybody was hustling, doing their job and putting up runs. I like to see that.

“(Run support) lets you have more control of the game, you don’t have to rush, and you’re not in your head as much.”

Jansen squares up a pitch for his first-inning RBI double.

In turn, Jansen credited Listerman’s steadiness for inspiring the Lancers’ offense in its approach at the plate.

“The confidence it brought the whole team was so important,” Jansen said. “Even with my home run, if he (Listerman) wasn’t pitching like that, I don’t know if that happens. Because we have that thing with him pitching like that, that we are the Lion and we are just pouncing.”

Braiden Price watches as his line drive double travels into centerfield. 

Lancers head coach John DiBenedetto recognized Bellomo after the win, where the senior went 1-for-4 but was also hit by a pitch, reached on an error, scored twice, and made a great catch on the run to stop a SLAM rally in the fifth.

“Brody has been the epitome of a captain and a leader,” DiBenedetto said. “His leadership on and off the field has been so vital for this younger group. As a committed guy, who goes over and above, he’s someone all of our guys can look up to and he does everything so well.”

Bearing the fruits of his hustle, Bellomo’s jersey is caked with dirt and chalk after he slid into second and headfirst across the plate in the third inning. 

Under first-year head coach Ryan Rigau, SLAM (1-3) was tested in its opening week. Rigau took over the team at the start of the school year in just in its third season competing for FHSAA state titles (after five seasons as an independent), and is looking to build a consistency for players and a foundation for the program.

Ryan Rigau, a Land O’Lakes High alum and former Sickles assistant, is in his first season leading SLAM.

It has had its challenges, highlighted primarily by Rigau’s work to fill a schedule, which resulted in a four-game opening week.

“Unfortunately, being in charge of our own schedule, we found that a lot of teams were already booked up,” Rigau said. “Even knowing a lot of coaches in the area, I got a lot of ‘maybe for next season.’ SLAM is building a reputation essentially from scratch. I took over a program knowing what I was stepping into, and I feel like we are really building a strong culture.”

Andrew Bunner (2-for-4) after smacking a double in the third.

But the new coach saw positives on Friday, namely in the resolve the Spartans showed to stave off the mercy-rule, plating four runs in the top-half of the fifth, and a competitive attack from relievers, who held the Lancers to just one hit and no more runs over the final 2 2/3 innings.

“I think it all starts with a pretty good senior class,” Rigau said. “The biggest thing I’ve seen is that our players do have a lot of fight in them, they lean on each other, and anytime one does something well they feed off it.”

Spartans senior Isaiah Morales singles in the third. 

Senior Andrew Bunner was 2-for-4 in the loss, with a double and added an RBI single to the Spartans fifth-inning rally, Isaiah Morales (stolen base) and Chris Pope each had a hit and scored a run, and relievers Chris Lugo and Chucho Tirado were solid, allowing one hit and working around a pair of walks apiece in the late innings.

Robert Moore makes a big turn around third base on his way to score one of his three runs in the Cambridge win. 

Alex Quintero starts his slide, scoring one of two runs for the Lancers. The junior was 1-for-2, with three walks and had two RBI.

Braiden Price added an RBI double in the second inning for the Lancers, and Robert Moore was 1-for-2 with a walk and scored three times. On the mound, Justin Howell was tasked with stopping the Spartans fifth-inning rally, working 1 2/3 innings, allowing one hit, before Blake Hafner worked around an error and closed out the win working the seventh.

Cambridge Christian saw significant participation from the school’s eighth-grade class a season ago, and though somewhat experienced, only Bellomo (senior) and Quintero (junior) featured in a lineup of primarily freshman and sophomores. DiBenedetto was pleased with a 2-1 opening week, and said he’s seen great strides from his young team with eyes on a solid future.

“With all the youth that we’ve had and incorporated with some of the older leadership, being 2-1, and facing some adversity while not playing our best baseball,” DiBenedetto said, “we’ve stayed locked in, fought through that and have done the job.”

On Tuesday, Cambridge Christian visits Seminole Heights to face Brooks DeBartolo, while SLAM travels to Tampa Catholic for a game.