University Rallies To Win Colts First Pitch Classic

The University Suns came into the Colts First Pitch Classic as possibly the least heralded of the four teams in the tournament this week. After Thursday night’s come from behind 5-4 win over Coral Springs, the Suns are leaving the tournament as champions.

For 5 1/2 innings, the Colts looked like they were going to cruise to the latest in their tournament titles. Last year, the Colts won the district championship, and they appeared on their way to winning their first tournament of the new year as Coral Springs held a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth last night on their home field.

Brett Schneider, coming off surgery, was masterful for five innings. Schneider held the Suns to only two hits while striking out six in those frames. In the sixth, however, Schneider ran into some trouble, some of which was caused by himself.

The lead-off hitter of the inning, Michael Crespo, inserted into the nine spot in the lineup after being benched to start the game, walked. The next hitter, Diego Perez, lined a double into the gap. Sebastian Diaz then singled, ending Schneider’s night. Colts Head Coach Frank Bumbales later said if he had it to do over again, he would have pulled Schneider after his strong five inning performance.

Reliever Dalton Wolchik, the Colts closer, came into to attempt to put out the fire. Wolchik was not as sharp as earlier in the week when he closed the game against Pine Crest, and the first two batters he faced, Charlie Gomez and starting pitcher Manny Silveira, both singled. After a walk to J.J. Cormier, Jordan Budwig delivered the go-ahead single, and in a flash, the Suns went from being down 3-0 to being up 5-3.

“I think the walk was really big to start the inning,” said University Head Coach Rich Hofman, describing the big moments in the game changing inning. “Cause (Schneider) had been lights out. We couldn’t touch him. He had us in the palm of his hand, and I just told the guys, ‘keep going, you get twenty-one outs, use them.’ So that walk, and then Perez hit the ball in the gap, and of course Budwig’s hit was big.”

Coral Springs, known for their grittiness, mounted a rally in the top of the seventh. Austin Nelson was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Wolchik then hit a flair to center for a single, and Brandon Boyce sacrificed the runners to second and third.

Dylan Ebel singled, moving the tying run to third. At this point, Hofman called on Crespo to get the final two outs. The second out of the inning came on Crespo’s first pitch. Alex Demicco popped out to first. The dangerous Lewis Brinson was walked intentionally, and Crespo then struck out clean-up hitter Alan Sharkey to give the Suns the tournament title.

“This is a great step for this our program this early,” said Hofman. “Nobody expected it. Everyone said we were going to stink, and we still may, but we’re 2-0 right now. I’m very proud of the guys tonight. They beat a really, really good team, and that means a lot to our program starting where we’re at at this point.”

Coral Springs, meanwhile, has displayed a pattern of lethargic play early this season. The Colts, uncharacteristically, were not fundamentally sound in the preseason, and after taking a 3-0 lead Thursday, seemed to take a victory for granted. Situational hitting had been a strong point in the Colts game on their run through the playoffs last year, and the players earned the right to swing away in these situations, but that is something Coach Bumbales says may change.

“We need more focus with runners in scoring position, runners at third with less than two outs,” said Bumbales. “If you’re going to not want to squeeze, then you need to put the ball in play like your supposed to.”

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