Westwood Christian’s Diaz Wins HSBN Home Run Derby

Luis Diaz had a simple game plan when he went up to bat Saturday night in the High School Baseball Network 2012 Fall Classic Power Showcase Home Run Derby at Nova High School.

“I just tried to hit the ball as hard as I can and see what happens,” Diaz said.

The result?

Diaz hit seven home runs in the championship round — including six in a row — and 10 overall to earn the derby title and a free entry into the 7th Annual International Power Showcase Home Run Derby being held Dec. 27-30 at Marlins Park.

Diaz, whose single-season home run max is three during his sophomore year, said he hits about 200 balls a day and tries to get different types of hits.

“It’s fun being with friends you haven’t seen in a while like Ryan Dodge, a good ballplayer who hits the heck out of the ball,” he said.

Dodge, last year’s champion, returned to defend his title. He came close, hitting seven first-round homers — including six in a row — and five in the second round for an overall total of 12, the most for the event. His five second-round homers put him in second place overall.

“It was questionable whether I would sign up [for the event], but I thought ‘I won it last year, so just go out and have fun,'” Dodge said.

Dodge said participating in last year’s Power Showcase in Phoenix, Ariz. was “a good experience. It was a lot bigger field than Flanagan’s.”

Diaz said he’s already looking forward to that same event next month at Marlins Park.

“It’s an honor to be there, and I just want to show them what I can do,” he said.

Diaz hit the second-farthest home run Saturday night. He had a 448-foot blast that ended up in the Nova High pool. He also belted a 429-foot shot. Three of his seven championship round homers were consecutive, and he also had two in a row in the first round.

Dodge, who was hitting with an Exogrid bat, said events such as one Saturday night are good for players who want to play at the next level.

“It gets you exposure,” Dodge said. “When colleges see that you won home run derbies, that’s a good thing. It shows you can hit the ball well.”

Miguel Ceballos of St. Brendan hit six home runs in the first round but didn’t manage any in the championship round. He said he enjoyed Saturday night because of the camaraderie.

“I think it’s great because it gathers a lot of different players from different schools and it gives them an opportunity the next time you play them to be like ‘Oh, I remember you were there,'” Ceballos said. “It’s a good thing and you have fun.”

There were several blasts greater than 400 feet at the event. Michael Paez of Miami Sunset led the group with a 463-foot shot. Dodge hit four first-round homers of 400 feet or longer. He ripped one for 449 feet in the second round. Julian Pino of Chaminade-Madonna nailed one of 442 feet, and Ceballos hit homers of 438 and 421 feet.

The competition included an eighth-grader from Royal Palm Beach’s Crestwood Middle School named Tarik Latchmansingh. He hit three homers in the first round and one in the final.

Former Olympic Heights coach Brian Domenico, the president and CEO of the International Power Showcase Home Run Derby, manned the pitching machine all evening. About 40 players competed and got 15 outs in the first round. The top 10 from that round made it to the championship round and had 10 outs there.

Players who made the championship round other than Diaz, Dodge, Ceballos and Latchmonsigh were Luis Corrales of Westland Senior High (four first round, three second round), Paez (four, two), Robert Hernandez of Westwood Christian (three, one), Alec Byrd of St. Thomas (three, two) and Henry Perez of Hialeah (three, three).

The home run derby was the opening event of the High School Baseball Network Fall Classic starting today. Teams will square off at six sites this week with the winner of each round-robin competition and two wild cards moving on to next week’s second round. Semifinals are set for Nov. 19 and the final Nov. 20. There is a $5 entry fee for all games.

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