Panthers tough out district semi win over Crusaders

Foundation Christian junior Henry Salter homered on this swing as the Panthers rallied to tie Tuesday’s district semifinal against Seffner Christian, then gave his team the lead for good with an RBI single the sixth inning of a 7-4 FCA win.

By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor

VALRICO – Foundation Christian’s focus over the last year has been on one thing – mental toughness. After exiting the 2025 season with a one-run district quarterfinal loss to SLAM, the Panthers coaching staff has pushed their players – in practice and preparation – to never count themselves out of a game.

On Tuesday, in a Class 1A-District 9 semifinal with Seffner Christian, the Panthers answered the Crusaders scoring three times – finally taking the lead in the fifth inning and picking up just Foundation Christian’s second-ever tournament game win – with a 7-4 victory.

“You saw it today – the mental toughness in our guys,” Panthers head coach McNeely said. “We knew that Seffner was going to come out and give us everything they had.

“They jumped out ahead of us, scored those two runs, but we fought back. They scored a another and we kept battling. We kept our composure and did what we needed to do.”

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McNeely, who launched the program 10 seasons ago, said his Panthers have found something special this season, and perhaps no one better exemplifies the buy-in than junior Henry Salter.

“If you know Henry – how much that young man just works – it’s incredible,” McNeely said. “He’s played for me since he was in sixth grade. He’s come up through our system, worked on everything we’ve needed him to work on, and it’s paid off.”

And Seffner Christian (10-13-1) got to “know Henry” as Salter cut a Crusaders lead to a run with an opposite-field, leadoff home run in the fifth, added a lead-changing RBI single in the sixth, and then threw two lights-out relief innings, earning the righty his fourth pitching win of the season.

Henry Salter just prior to leaping into his teammates in celebration after his solo home run.

Down a pair of runs in the fifth, Salter watched a strike go by before sending a slightly-elevated fastball the other way and over the fence in right field – just his second home run of his four-year varsity career.

“I didn’t really hit me what I did until I was rounding toward second base,” Salter said. Then added with a smile, “(It’s) the first one this year, so I really feel good about the timing of it.”

But Salter was not left to carry the weight alone as sophomore Raymond Cruz capped an impressive day at the plate with an RBI sac fly to tie the game a few batters later. Cruz had already singled twice, including an RBI hit in the third.

“Raymond this last half of this season, has come on and been huge for us,” McNeely said. “A switch has clicked with him, hitting the ball hard every at-bat, putting the ball in play and just coming to play every day.”

Panthers sophomore Raymond Cruz already had a pair of hits prior to this RBI sac fly, which tied the game in the fifth inning.

Batting eighth for Foundation Christian (14-3), Cruz said the team’s success has been hard-earned.

“Honestly, our practices have been tougher … and we take them like a real game,” Cruz said. “We take everything we do seriously, and that mental toughness has really helped us this season.”

Seffner Christian senior Christian Villanueva hit a leadoff single and scored the Crusaders opening run of the first inning.

Senior Christian Villanueva (2-for-4) got Seffner Christian going in the first with a leadoff single, before an error moved him up to third, and Camden McBane put up the first run with an infield single. A dropped-third strike (wild pitch) allowed the Crusaders to stretch a two-run lead in the first.

Camden McBane collects the first of his two RBI in the loss.

FCA answered in the second with a productive out by nine-hole hitter Jean Verona to plate one.

The Crusaders spaced out the lead with a double from Uriah Bullock in the third and a run on an RBI single by McBane three pitches later.

Again, the Panthers would answer with a run (Cruz RBI single), but the Crusaders nipped the rally there, as on the same play, Mason McBane fired a strike to the plate where Villanueva ended the inning with a swipe tag.

After receiving a throw from CF Mason McBane, Seffner Christian catcher Christian Villanueva swipes the back of Evan Maloney to end the third inning.

Villanueva would cash in a Kensen Angel single in the fourth, before Salter and Cruz changed the tide of the game.

“They battled and once they got a couple of hits you felt the momentum start to change and we went the wrong way,” Seffner Christian head coach Sal Giardina said. “Our guys didn’t step up when (Foundation) started to step up, we sat back and let them take it to us.”

Seffner Christian SP Ryder Stephens

Prior to the fifth inning, Seffner Christian junior Ryder Stephens managed six hits and six walks, while striking out four in four innings. Similarly, sophomore starting pitcher Caleb Hom worked around seven hits, allowed three earned runs over five innings and finished with seven strikeouts.

Foundation Christian sophomore Caleb Hom pitched five innings, allowed four runs (three earned) and struck out seven in a no-decision.

“Caleb Hom has been huge for us all year,” McNeely said. “He did what he needed to do to give us a chance. He battled for five innings. Did he have his best outing? No, but he gave us that chance and it went our way.”

Panthers senior Peyton Coakley helped get the three-run sixth inning going with a single to leftfield.

Caleb Pelaez was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Crusaders; while Peyton Coakley went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Panthers, and Brady Green and Evan Maloney (2-for-3) added RBI singles in the sixth inning.

The Panthers will now travel to Tampa’s Skyway Park for a 7 pm showdown with No. 1-seed Cambridge Christian (winners 12-2 against Lakeland Victory Christian on Tuesday) to decide the district championship.

⚾ Class 1A-District 9 Semifinal ⚾

Foundation Christian 7
Seffner Christian 4

S 201|100|0 – |4|8|0
F 011|023|x – |7|11|4
W – Salter (4-1); L – Tate (5-4)
2B – Bullock, Villanueva (S); HR – Salter (F). Records – S (10-13-1); F (14-3).

We’ve got over 120 photos from this game available for purchase in our gallery (click HERE).

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Crusaders senior Christian Villanueva hurries down the line after his leadoff single in the first.

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Peyton Silvey single in the first for SCA.

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With the ump’s “fair ball” call behind him, Crusaders 3B Caleb Pelaez throws for an out in the first inning.

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Seffner Christian junior RHP Ryder Stephens

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Nine-hole hitter Jean Verona drives in FCA’s first run.

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Shortstop Rylan Rizzardi throws for an out in the third.

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Uriah Bullock celebrates his double in the third …

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… and is brought in on Camden McBane’s RBI single a few pitches later.

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Panthers 1B Peyton Coakley makes a catch in foul territory.

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SCA’s Caleb Pelaez collects one of his two singles in the game.

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Crusaders 2B Kensen Angel charges a weak chopper and …

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… throws to 1B Camden McBane for an out in the third.

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Peyton Silvey runs a ball down in rightfield.

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Panthers coach David McNeely has a chat with Brady Green, just prior to his two-out walk that started a run-scoring inning.

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Evan Maloney added a single.

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Veteran Crusaders skipper Sal Giardina returns to the dugout after a mound meeting with his infield.

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Raymond Cruz drives in a run with a single.

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With the home-plate ump signaling the out, Crusaders C Christian Villanueva sends a point out to CF Mason McBane after the latter’s on-target throw for an out at the plate.

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