Douglas Remains Undefeated With Come From Behind Win Over Taravella

The Douglas Eagles have found several different ways to come from behind and win games this season, and on Thursday the Eagles found even more magic. After falling behind 5-1 to a game Taravella squad, Douglas rallied in both the sixth and seventh to defeat the Trojans 7-6 in District 10-6A play.

The Eagles came into the Taravella game with only six errors on the season. Douglas has been the most consistent team in Broward to date, but on this day, the team from Parkland showed that high school baseball can be extremely unpredictable.

Coming into the game with Taravella, Douglas players may have been somewhat overconfident. Although the first time the two teams met this year ended in a Douglas win, the 3-1 final showed that the Trojans could play with the top team in the district.

On Thursday, Taravella was on the verge of the biggest upset in the county this season, but their defense let them down at the most inopportune time. Clinging to a one run lead in the seventh inning, Taravella reliever Joseph Nicolosi got the first out of the inning, then walked Douglas designated hitter Alec Dowell, who had homered earlier in the game.

The next play will be one that will linger in Trojans fans’ heads for a long while. Second baseman Chris Pannell lofted a ball to left field that was dropped, putting runners on first and second with one out. Evan Leyva, who had been pinch hit for in the previous inning, singled in the tying run.

“I was looking for a ball middle to away,” said Leyva, of his game-tying hit. “I just wanted to hit the ball to right field, hit a sac. fly, or hit the ball hard on the ground, which I did, so it worked out.”

Leyva’s hit was followed by the game winner by Louis Silvero, a staple at the top of the Douglas lineup. Silvero had three hits, two doubles and the game-winning single in the last three innings of Thursday’s battle with Taravella, after going 0-for-2 in his first two plate appearances.

“I felt like I was pressing a little bit,” said Silvero, when asked the difference between his first two at-bats and his last three, all hits. “In the last at-bat, I was looking for a first pitch strike that I could drive and score the runner fro third to win the game.”

Taravella was a worthy opponent on this day, wit several Trojans having big days at the plate. Jordan Gleisher went 2-for-3 wit two runs, and Vincenzo Libio was 2-for-4 with the go-ahead single in the top of the seventh.

Having played Douglas close ow twice, Trojans Head Coach Jason Stein knows he has a team that could shake-up the district tournament next month.

“The kids came out and played their tails off today,” said Stein. “It’s a give and take game. They gave it away to us in the top of the seventh, and we gave it back to them in the bottom of the seventh. They executed one more time than we did. Douglas showed some heart and came back and won the game.”

While the Eagles did win the game, they showed a vulnerability that had not previously been seen. Douglas had made only six errors in eleven games coming into their match up with Taravella, but committed seven Thursday afternoon.

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