Coral Springs Christian Blanks Westminster Academy In District 14-3A Semifinal

Coral Springs Christian coach Matt Cleveland says that whenever Billy Atkins takes the mound, the team expects to win because of the command he has over all four of his pitches.

The senior right-hander came through again as he pitched a complete game, struck out eight and allowed just one runner to reach second base as Coral Springs Christian blanked Westminster Academy 3-0 in the first of two District 14-3A semifinals at the Westminster Sports Complex.

Atkins (6-1) stayed in control as he effectively mixed his fastball, curve ball, slider and change for consistent strikes and kept his pitch count low.

He allowed only three hits, walked one and was aided by a pair of double plays when any threat began to emerge.

“I think he’s one of the best arms in the county,” Cleveland said. “That’s what he has done the whole year. He pitched against two teams ranked in the top 25 in the country. We won one of those and lost the other in a close one. This game is always nerve-racking because you lose, you go home. In districts, you got to win that first one so we expected to win because of the way he goes about his business.”

And, when a possible threat arose, it was extinguished from Atkins’ backers in the field.

In the fourth inning, Westminster Academy (16-9) had a runner on first with one out when second baseman Luke Bramos ranged to his right and sprawled out to catch a sharply hit ball.

Quickly, Bramos rose to his feet and fired over to first base to double off the runner who had stray too far off the bag to end the inning.

“Luke [Bramos] is a huge team player,” Cleveland said. “All he cares about is winning. He made a couple of nice plays to his right. That was a game-changing play because it would have been first and second or maybe first and third with one out. Instead, we’re out of the inning. That was huge.”

In the sixth, Atkins was helped out by sophomore shortstop Touki Toussaint who spoiled a leadoff walk by starting a 6-3 double play.

Offensively, Crusaders’ leadoff hitter Zach Butler had one of the game’s biggest knocks — a rope that bounced to the left field fence that scored the ninth hitter in the order, Shane Wilder.

Butler, a senior, finished 2 for 3 with a double, single, and a walk.

Pemron Burrows, a freshman who served as Butler’s courtesy runner, stole two bases in his place and scored the first run on the first of two RBIs by third baseman Ryan Milner.

Milner laced a single in the first and then knocked in another run on a fielder’s choice sacrifice.

He would have had a third RBI save for a precise throw made from Lions’ center fielder Derek Borgeson, who gunned down a runner attempting to score.

Coral Springs Christian (18-7-1) will be seeking to defend its District 14-3A title in a rematch of last year’s final against Calvary Christian on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Westminster Sports Complex.

For Westminster Academy, four seniors — Will Buschmann, Joey Knight, Daniel Burns and Borgeson — played their last high school game.

“It’s a bittersweet day for us,” Lions coach Nick James said. “We are sending off four fantastic seniors who are just fine kids. Academically, they are student-athletes. Spiritually, they do a great job of leading our program. It was a real productive year, and it was due in large part to our senior leadership and their ability to help out our younger guys. We expect great things from them in baseball and otherwise.”

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