Sanchez, Fortuno Power Flanagan Past St. Thomas in Falcon Challenge

Shortstop Andres Sanchez provided the muscle, pitcher Gentry Fortuno kept hitters in check and host Flanagan bounced back in the Falcon Challenge to double up St. Thomas Aquinas 8-4 on Wednesday night.

Winning was not enough for Flanagan as the least amount of runs allowed was the factor in deciding which teams would advance to play for the title. Flanagan allowed 11 runs in two games while St. Thomas allowed 13 runs, giving the nod to the Falcons. They’ll play Miami Sunset at 7 p.m. Friday for the title.

St. Thomas will play against Douglas at 7 p.m. Thursday in the third-place game. Calvary Christian will play Miami Pace at 4 p.m.

Fortuno, a freshman, went six strong innings and allowed a run on four hits, walked two and struck out eight. After allowing a lead-off double to begin the game, Fortuno only allowed one other runner to reach second base, and that was aided by a fielding miscue.

“Once he starts figuring out all the pitches, he’s going to be a very good pitcher,” said Flanagan coach Ray Evans. “He’s got himself in better shape. His conditioning is OK. He threw a lot of strikes. He dominated with his fastball. We threw a couple breakers. Nothing much. More or less, we went right at ’em. He did a good job.”

Evans said he only took Fortuno out of the game after six innings because his pitch count was riding a little high (around 90 pitches) and he wanted to ensure that he does not become too overworked especially at this early stage in the season.

The Raiders took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when second baseman Ben Siegel doubled and scored on designated hitter Alec Spano’s fielder’s choice RBI.

But it was short lived as the Falcons stormed back in the bottom half of the inning on the strength of a three-run home run that sailed to straightaway center off the bat of Sanchez. The blast was set up by second baseman Andres Visbal’s triple that plopped between three fielders in right field and third baseman Alan Munoz, who was hit by a pitch.

“I took the first pitch,” said Sanchez, who finished 2-for-4 with five RBI. “Then he threw me a fast ball right down the middle so I just took advantage of the pitch and hit it well. I was just concentrating on hitting the ball to get a run in. I didn’t think it was going to go because it was a line drive.”

Later in the inning, Daniel Oliveri created a run when he walked, stole second and then scored when the attempted throwdown to second base instead drifted into the outfield and past the center fielder.

Neither team scored again until the fifth inning when the Falcons put together a streak of seven straight runners who reached base to account for four more runs.

It started with a bunt single by Oscar Rodriguez and was followed by a hit by pitch, four consecutive singles by Munoz, Andres Sanchez, Rick Sanchez and Jose Mesa and another hit batter.

The Raiders reeled off three runs in the seventh inning when a hit batter and two walks set up a RBI opportunity for Alec Byrd, who drew a walk to push across a run. It was followed with a two-run single by Spano.

Siegel went 2-for-3 with a double, single, walk and two runs. Spano finished with three RBI, and Byrd drew two walks and drove in a run.

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