Pines Charter Advances In District 15-4A With 15-2 Win Over Olympic Heights

Entering yesterday afternoon’s opening round District 15-4A game against Olympic Heights, coach Carlos Iglesias of Pembroke Pines Charter hammered home a very simple but clear message to his team, “It’s a new season and everyone starts over again,” he told them before the game.

When the Mercy-Rule shortened game ended less than two hours later, his Jaguars had not only evened their season record at 10-10 but more importantly they were 1-0 in the ‘new’ season after crushing the Lions 15-2 at Archbishop McCarthy Field.

After a scoreless first inning, Jaguars’ Billy Golding opened the bottom of the second grounding a double over the bag and down the line into the left field corner. Olympic Heights’ Ely Welby made a nice play on the next batter when he fielded Nicholas Eyrich’s high chopper to third, checking Golding at second, but his off-line throw across the diamond put runners at the corners for DH Brett Kelley, Jr.

Taking advantage of the miscue, Kelley promptly delivered, slicing a wind-aided three-run homer over the short right field fence for a quick 3-0 Pembroke Pines lead after two innings. When asked if he had been looking for a specific pitch, Kelley responded, “I was looking for a pitch to drive and got a high outside fastball.”

In the top of the third with two outs and runners at second and third Cahill helped his own cause, stroking an RBI single to left plating Gerry Meyers, on via a walk, closing the gap to 3-1.

In the home half of the third inning the Jaguars sent fifteen batters to the plate. Six hits, three walks and four costly errors in the inning led to nine Jaguars’ runs. Key hits were delivered by Jorge Marrero (two-run single), Kevin Fenster (RBI double) and Golding (two singles, one RBI).

Displaying a never-say-die attitude, Olympic Heights stroked three singles of their own in the fourth inning. But a 6-4-3 double play short-circuited any thoughts of a big inning of their own and the Lions entered the bottom of the fourth inning down 12-2.

Coach Brian Domenico replaced his starter, bringing in Rich Delguadio to try and stop the bleeding. When Alejandro Miret’s lead off walk was followed by singles off the bats of Marrero, Fenster and Kevin Daly and Ryan Tucker’s RBI fielder’s choice, Pines’ lead had swelled to 15-2.

Relief pitcher Matthew Coolidge, who had retired the only batter he faced in ending the Lions’ fourth inning rally, worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning to close out the afternoon contest.

Winning coach Iglesias had this to say after his team advanced to the next round against Archbishop McCarthy, “I’m very happy and proud of my boys for playing this one game at a time and not looking too far ahead.”

Asked what he thought of his teams chances against the defending District champion Mavericks he replied, “If we play our game and play them tough, you know anything can happen in baseball,” adding, “That’s why we play the game.”

Connor Lowther went three and two-thirds innings in picking up the win. He allowed only two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out four and walking one. Patrick Cahill went the first three innings in taking the loss for Olympic Heights.

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