Douglas Walks Off In 3-2 Extra-Innings Win Over American Heritage

Douglas’ win Wednesday night against American Heritage was big personally for Douglas coach Todd Fitz-Gerald, but it was even bigger for the Eagles as it was that huge win they have been searching for all season.

The Eagles’ early season frustration seemed to ease a bit as they defeated the Patriots 3-2 in nine innings in a Selective Recruiting/Sir Pizza Invitational game at Barry University.

Derek Fritz, a transfer from Heritage, scored the winning run on a misplayed squeeze bunt in the bottom of the ninth as the Eagles walked off with the win.

Eagles’ starter John Valek pitched a strong game, but he got even stronger support from the defense behind him, which made several stellar plays throughout the game to hold back the Patriots (10-3).

Chris Pannell’s RBI single scored Luis Silverio in the bottom of the second to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead that held up until the seventh inning thanks to the terrific play of the Eagles’ defense.

The Patriots twice left the bases loaded and stranded 11 runners in the game.

Brandon Diaz tripled with two outs in the second, but Valek ended the threat with a strikeout. The Patriots had a runner at second in the next inning, but the final out was recorded at first base to prevent a run from scoring. An inning later, the Patriots loaded the bases with one out on singles by Zack Collins and Brandon Vicens and a walk by Brandon Diaz, but a strikeout and flyout got the Eagles out of the jam.

Heritage was in position to capitalize in the fifth as an error, walk and hit-by-pitched filled the bases with two outs. A putout at first base quelled the threat.

Heritage finally broke through in the seventh and tied the game as Danny Zardon reached base on an error and came in Collins’ sacrifice fly.

KJ Mayo singled and stole second in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, but Heritage starter Shaun Anderson struck out Silverio to send the game into extra innings. Anderson pitched seven and one-third innings and held the Eagles to three hits.

With the score still tied at 1 in the top of the ninth, the Patriots went ahead 2-1 when Zardon singled in Lopez.

Faced with a do-or-die scenario in the bottom of the inning, the Eagles responded with back-to-back singles by Colton Bottomley and Fritz. Bottomley, who also was the winning pitcher as he came in to pitch in the ninth, raced home on a wild pitch to tie it. Evan Leyva bunted to the pitcher, who fielded it but threw it behind the plate to allow Fritz to race home for the winning run.

“Evan is our best bunter,” Fitz-Gerald said. “I knew he’d get it done.”

The Eagles (6-5) celebrated the win as though they had won a playoff game. For them, it marks the first time this season they have a winning record, something that usually comes a lot sooner than mid-March for the Eagles. After a 2-4 start, Douglas has won four of its past five and is starting to turn the corner on what had been a lackluster start to the season.

“We haven’t won a big game,” said Fitz-Gerald, who took over as the Eagles coach this season after spending 10 years coaching at Heritage. “For these guys to understand they can win a big game, I think it’s a springboard for us. They believe now. We just executed when we had to and found a way to win.”

Before the game, Fitz-Gerald said it was a like a big intrasquad game as he coached all but a handful of the Heritage players before leaving for Douglas this summer.

“I feel like every kid on this field is mine,” he said after the game. “It’s bittersweet. It’s very rewarding and exciting.”

The win also meant a lot to Fritz, who also came over from Heritage.

“As soon as I saw we were playing them, I wanted that game very bad,” he said. “They’re a championship-caliber team. I just wanted to beat them. This means the world to me.”

Heritage coach Bruce Aven said it was “a well-pitched game, but we had too many runners in scoring position. Their defense made the plays and the pitcher made the pitches when he needed to. They could have easily folded but they found a way to get the winning run in.”

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