Monaghan Paces Nova in District Win Over South Broward
Trent Monaghan led the Titans on the mound and also aided his cause with a two-run home run Thursday.
Nova took advantage of mistakes by South Broward and rode a strong pitching performance by Trent Monaghan to grab a 4-1 win Thursday in District 7A-16.
South Broward’s Casey Hayes turned in a solid performance himself as he kept the Bulldogs in the game by scattering Nova’s six hits. South Broward also turned two double plays to bolster Hayes’ efforts.
“He gave us an opportunity to win,” South Broward coach Joe Giummule said. “He deserved to win. He pitched well enough to win.”
Nova coach Pat McQuaid, while also commending the mound performances of Monaghan and his reliever, C.J. Chatham, said “Hayes is a good pitcher. When he pitches, they have a good chance to win.”
With Hayes on the mound, the Bulldogs came out fired up for the chance to upset Nova, but that intensity didn’t translate well.
“I thought we came to play,” Giummule said. “We were prepared to play, we just didn’t play well. You can’t win if you make five errors. The team that makes the most plays in high school baseball wins the game.”
Monaghan said he saw the fire in the Bulldogs and thought “maybe they wanted this one more than us” after being mercy-ruled by the Titans earlier in the season.
A leadoff walk to Lee Kinsel and a double off the bat of Chatham three batters later produced Nova’s first of the night in the bottom of the first.
South Broward turned it up a notch a defense the next inning by picking off two runners.
Casey Hayes kept South Broward in the game Thursday.
Kinsel also reached on a error and came in on Monaghan’s home run to give Nova a 3-0 advantage through three innings.
The Bulldogs (7-9), who wrapped up district play at 3-7, responded the next inning by turning a double play.
South Broward plated its only run of the night in the fifth after John Maginnis led off with a walk and pinch-runner Guilermo De La Cruz scored on Bryan Mugione’s hit.
Matt Zanis doubled and scored in the fifth for the final run of the night for Nova (15-1), which remains in first place in the district at 7-1. The Titans have to play Cooper City and Plantation next week and can’t lose either to remain in sole possession of the top spot. St. Thomas beat Plantation on Thursday to finish 8-2 in the district for the second seed.
McQuaid is hoping his team can continue its run through the final stretch.
“Our kids are finding a way to win,” he said.
Monaghan said the team’s one loss, 9-8 to rival St. Thomas, left the team with a “terrible feeling” and the Titans are determined not to have another loss this season.
“No matter what it takes, we’ve gotta win,” he said.
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