Defending State Champion Flanagan Defeated By Park Vista In Regional Final

Park Vista’ Robbie Coman came in and shut the door on Flanagan in a 7-6 Cobras win.

Flanagan was one step away from heading back to Port St. Lucie to defend their state title in class 6A, but the Falcons found out on Friday evening that all good things must come to an end. Flanagan fought back several times on the night, but in the end they fell short, losing to Park Vista 7-6 in the class 6A regional championship.

Right from the start Park Vista served notice that they did not come to Pembroke Pines with the intention of losing. In the first inning the Cobras jumped on Falcons’ starter Mike Melendez, scoring two runs on back-to-back doubles by lead-off hitter Trea Turner and third baseman Tyler Kendall, and back-to-back ground outs.

Flanagan, showing the fight that they have exhibited all year, battled back in the second. Clean-up hitter Danny Zardon led the inning off with a single. Andres Sanchez was then hit by a pitch, and Zack Collins singled to right, loading the bases. Gabby Aurrecoechea picked up Flanagan’s first RBI of the game when he was hit with a pitch.

Matthew Figueroa drove in the tying run with an RBI ground out to first, and Ryan Lozada gave the Falcons the lead with a sacrifice fly to center. It was classic fundamental baseball played by a team that has become known for their execution. Ironically, it was that fundamental baseball that let the Falcons down in the fifth.

With the score tied, and Melendez settling into a groove, it looked as though Flanagan was on their way back to the state semi-finals.

In the fifth, however, Cobras’ nine-hole hitter Chris Wurster, who has become an unheralded hero for Park Vista in these playoffs, hit a routine ground ball to short. Usually reliable shortstop Ricky Santiago sailed a throw high to first, allowing Wurster to reach. After a pop out, Kendall delivered his second double of the game. Robbie Coman’s ground out to short tied the game at three.

The game stayed tied until the sixth, when Park Vista scored four runs. Turner had the big blow in the inning. After Flanagan Head Coach Ray Evans pulled starter Melendez, reliever Mike Emigh was met with a two-run blast off the bat of Turner. At 7-3, it looked as though the Falcons magical season was coming to an end.

As they have done many times before, the Falcons showed their character over the next inning and a half. In the bottom of the sixth, Sanchez, who already has broken the county home run record this season, hit a towering fly ball that cleared the fence in left, cutting the lead to 7-5.

From there, Park Vista reliever Coman settled down and escaped the inning without further damage. Coman had relieved starter Ryan Pistey to start the fifth.

In the seventh, Flanagan made things interesting again. After two quick punch outs, Robert Collin tripled to right-center. Melendez cut the lead to one with a single over short. Zardon had a good at-bat, and lined a shot to center, but it was right at Trey Amburgey, and the Cobras held on to win 7-6.

“We knew what we were up against,” said Park Vista Head Coach Larry Greenstein, speaking about the home Falcons. “They’re a great ball club. We battled, we were up, we were down. It was a great game, and we were able to battle through and come out on top.”

Park Vista now has eleven days off before they will play in a state 6A semi-final game in Port St. Lucie.

“These guys have battled their butts off all year and they did it all the way to the last swing and the last out,” said Evans of his Falcons team. “As a coach you can’t ask for anything more than that. It’s been a great run, some of those guys have been here four years. It’s just tough to have them end their careers this way.”

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