Osting fans 15 as Bloomingdale defeats Durant

Bloomingdale senior Vaughn Osting allowed a leadoff single to start the game, then held Durant to just two walks the rest of the way while striking out 15 in a complete-game, shutout effort.

By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor

VALRICO – Durant junior Brennan Bailey jumped on the first pitch of the game sending a leadoff single skipping into the outfield off Bloomingdale senior Vaughn Osting.

Then for the next seven innings the East Tennessee State signee carved through the Cougars lineup – the leadoff hit was the only one Osting would allow all night – delivering a 15-strikeout performance, and driving in the game’s first run to lead Bloomingdale to a 4-0, Class 6A-Region 2 quarterfinal win over the Cougars.

“I was trying to hide the ball a little bit better, because the last couple of starts I have been flying open a little bit,” Osting said. “So, tonight it was about just staying on line, painting that fastball away and the late break on the slider.”

We absolutely love being out there covering our local baseball action, but we need support from our audience to make it happen. Please consider supporting us: Support our work at 813Preps!

Durant assistant coach Jake Mimbs fist-bumps Brennan Bailey after his leadoff single to start the game. Bailey would also draw one of two walks issued by Bulls pitcher Vaughn Osting.

“Vaughn Osting got the ball tonight for a reason, because that is what he is capable of doing every time,” Bulls head coach Kris Wilken said. “I’m super proud of him. He works extremely hard and his mental toughness is on a different level.”

Bulls leadoff man Mason Johnson was hit by a pitch to start the home-first and then stole second base. Johnson was 1-for-2 in the win and scored the deciding run.

In the home-first, Bulls leadoff Mason Johnson was plunked with the first pitch from Durant junior Tristan Macpherson, stole second, and advanced to third on a Saul Aponte sac bunt. From there, Osting pulled his hands on an inside fastball and flared a line drive toward third base, just deflecting off the glove of a leaping Shawn Graves to send Johnson to the plate.

“I was looking for a fastball and Gravy (Graves) was just slightly off of it, and we scratched it out,” Osting said.

Vaughn Osting went the other way with this inside fastball, sending an RBI single just over the head of Durant’s third baseman.

Wilken was pleased at the entire series of events, from Johnson’s stolen base and the sac bunt to move him to third, and was confident Osting would find a way to help himself out.

“Getting a guy on third base with one out, again the mental toughness of Vaughn – he’s going to find a way to get it done right there,” Wilken said. “Obviously, Shawn Graves jumps and almost got it, but that’s Vaughn grinding through at-bats. He just competes.”

The Bulls extended the lead in the second after an Izzy Perez walk put a runner aboard and JJ Santiago cleared him off, belting a two-run home run to rightfield.

“The last time I faced Tristan, I walked every time,” Santiago said, “so, I knew he was going to come at me. I was ambushing fastball and he gave it to me second pitch and the rest is history.”

Bloomingdale junior JJ Santiago belted his second home run of the season – a two-run shot to right to extend the Bulls lead in the second inning.

The homer was Santiago’s second of the season and he now has 20 RBI this year.

“When we’ve needed someone to come up big, JJ has done it all year,” Wilken said. “The home run in the Saladino (tournament championship game), the home run tonight, and he’s also had some big doubles to drive in runs when we’ve needed it. He’s been awesome this year.”

Bulls senior Javi Navas-Hoyer (#4) with a leaping forearm smash with the home run hitter JJ Santiago.

From there it was all Osting, he struck out seven straight after the leadoff hit, walked two, fielded his position for outs twice, and ended the game with a strikeout on his 102nd pitch.

“He’s just a dog,” Santiago said. “We can count on him in any game, in any situation, he’s always going to compete. Which is why everyone on this team has respect for him.”

Osting recorded seven-straight strikeouts after allowing a leadoff single to start the game.

Durant head coach Butch Valdes was frustrated after a week of preparation for Osting’s propensity to paint the outside corner.

“We did not stick with the game plan of going after the outside pitch today and we had 15 strikeouts,” Valdes said. “Fifteen K’s – and it was primarily on the outside pitches we worked on all week. We knew it was coming, and that’s the difference between a (No.) one seed and an eight-seed.”

Bulls senior 1B Payton Jennings held on to this pop-fly catch while tumbling backward to end the top-half of the sixth.

Osting said he and the Bulls did not look at it as a one vs eight game, and said he had to focus on every pitch against a familiar opponent for the third time this season.

“Maybe they’re the eight-seed, but we know it’s Durant versus Bloomingdale,” Osting said. “We knew it was going to be an electric atmosphere, which it was, so I just focused on one pitch at a time.”

Durant junior Zach Nero worked four innings of relief, allowing one unearned run and two hits, finishing with six strikeouts.

Durant would turn to righty Zach Nero to start the third inning, and the junior was impressive, striking out six and allowing one unearned run on two hits across the final four innings.

“Hell of a job,” Valdes said of Nero. “That’s why he’s been my No. 1 all season. Period. There is no question about it. He’s consistent and he pitches. I look forward to seeing him next year.”

JJ Santiago chopped this ball off the plate and a throwing error on the catcher allowed a run to score in the sixth inning.

Evan Plusquellic singled to center to start the home-sixth for the Bulls and a ball chopped off the plate by Santiago with two outs, turned into a run-scoring, three-base error to add a late insurance run.

Bloomingdale will now host Stuart Martin County in a best-of-three region semifinal series beginning next Friday at 7pm.