Calvary’s Late Inning Heroics Open Flanagan Nike/OTS Challenge

The Calvary Christian Eagles came into the Flanagan Nike/OTS Challenge suffering from a tough preseason loss to North Broward Prep, and if Head Coach Gregg Mucerino had any doubts his team was mentally tough, those doubts disappeared Monday afternoon.

The Eagles not only put the loss to North Broward Prep behind them, but they also overcame a late deficit against one of the better teams in the state, American Heritage, to win the first game of the Falcons tournament 7-5. The Eagles exemplified perseverance during this seven inning battle.

Early on, Calvary looked like they were prepared to win the tournament. After four innings, the Eagles held a 3-2 lead, with starting pitcher Seth Natal stranding eight Heritage runners. In the fifth inning, however, Natal ran into some self-imposed trouble.

The first two batters for Heritage walked, and Mucerino went to his bullpen. Ryan Lowery was summoned to get out of the jam, but by the time the inning was complete, the Patriots had scored three runs on only two hits. Dan Dispenziere’s squeeze bunt, and Derrick Fritz gave Heritage the lead with a single. It was what happened next that impressed Mucerino.

“All preseason, it’s been as one, as one, as one,” said Mucerino. “One heartbeat, as one team. Never say die, never say quit. Look to the next guy to pick us up, and that’s what happened in that inning. We talk all the time about compete for twenty-one outs, thirty-outs, whatever it’s gonna take.”

In the sixth, Calvary players did what it was going to take and tied the game with a pair of runs off relief pitcher Brandon Lopez. The game went to the seventh tied, and the Eagles scored two runs on four hits to place them in control of the game. Natal and Tyler Middlebrooks each came through with RBI singles in the inning. Middlebrooks finished the game 3-4 with a home run.

Asked about the Eagles win, Mucerino had plenty of respect for Heritage and Coach Todd Fitz-Gerald.

“It’s huge. Todd does a great job. It’s a program that has a tremendous amount of tradition. It’s a program that we want to have the same kind of program at our level that they have at their level. We want to achieve what they have done.”

After Monday’s win, Calvary and Coach Mucerino are well on their way towards their goal.

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