Everglades Players Hungry For More Intensity

After getting a taste of what it’s like to compete in the district playoffs for the first time in school history, Everglades players were left hungry and craving more.

Everglades punched their district ticket by beating Western and Cypress Bay down the stretch. In the district semifinal, the Gators had Flanagan on the ropes into the third inning before the Falcons blew it open in typical Flanagan style.

Adam Murray was on the mound for the Gators in that semifinal. Flanagan was his old team and he wanted the win bad. Unfortunately, things didn’t go his way.

“We just have to work off of what we did last year,” Murray said. “Last year, in the district playoffs, we had Flanagan down 3-2 and then I pulled my groin in the game.”

Gators Manager Oddibe McDowell is anxious to see the effects of making the playoffs on this year’s team.

“They had a little taste going into the first playoff last year,” McDowell said. “So they have an idea how the intensity is raised, so the kids are looking to perfom better. I think they’re excited and ready to get into the playoffs and compete. I look forward to it and to see how things come together.”

The Gators have taken away many lessons from those games and they know what they need to do to get back to that spot and maybe reach regionals for the first time.

Andrew Hernandez, a senior short stop who has started since he was a freshman, said his teammates need to get in line and buckle down before the spring season comes and practice games turn into the real deal.

“We have a lot of young kids,” Hernandez said. “The discipline level is not here. It’ll get there. We’re just not taking things serious right now. We’re a lot better than what we play. Our record doesn’t show it. We gave a good fight last year and that’s when all our seniors left. And no one thought we would be in districts. We can do it again this year, but we have to play it like we want it.”

“I come out here every day and practice and train and I try to get some of the younger guys out here with me to show them that hard work will pay off. I just want to lead by example.”

McDowell said his team has made progress over the years in an area where schools fight over the wealth of talented players in a baseball-rich part of the county.

“It’s a competitive district,” he said. “It’s been that way since I’ve been here and we’re improved every year. We may not get the top talent, but we’ve been able to make the most of the ability we have to be competitive.”

Hernandez believes his team can be successful if it keeps things in perspective and executes in the necessary areas.

“We just have to approach it like any other game, play the best nine that we have, pitch, play defense, hit and we’ll be successful,” Hernandez said. “I feel we’re better than what we’re doing right now and we can compete with Flanagan like we did in districts, and we can compete with West Broward like we did in division games. I think we’re going to hold good in our district.”

McDowell said it all starts with the right mental approach, and that right frame of mind can help overcome physical limitations at times.

“If they play within themselves and not get outplayed, they can play with any team in the district regardless if it’s Mesa pitching or someone else who is dominant.”

Beyond improving their mental aspect, the Gators are focused on hitting this fall. Stringing together hits has been a weakness and hasn’t allowed the team to score enough runs to win in some cases. In other cases, the Gators will take the lead only to let it slip away because it can’t maintain its offense.

“We need to work on our hitting, our fundamental hitting, getting base hits when we need them, and we need to take away the small errors on defense,” Murray said. “We need to work on small-ball hitting, getting a bunt when we need a bunt. We need the little base hits here and there.”

Murray, a 6-foot-3 lefty whose effective with multiple pitches, will lead the staff after a junior season in which he struck out 41 in 36.2 innings. Hernandez and Raul Quesada also are pitchers coming back from last year. The Gators are working this fall to develop the pitchers behind Murray.

“Adam’s a good number one starter for us,” Murray said. “He has command of all his pitches in the zone, has good stamina. He’s effective in getting the first pitch over for a strike, and when his curve is working, he is dominating.”

Hernandez said “our ace Adam is incredible on the mound. When he brings it, he brings it. Our infield is really good and we hit the ball exceptionally. Our head coach is amazing, Oddibe McDowell. He’s our core. He’s always confident and always picking people up, good inspiration. He leads us.”

McDowell, who brings experience from every level in baseball, doesn’t allow the players to slack.

“I expect a lot from these kids. I expect them to come out and give 100 percent and know the game of baseball and know their position and where they need to be,” McDowell said. “If they know the game of baseball and their mental approach is there, they can rise above someone who is of better ability.”

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