North Broward Shuts Out Atlantic 4-0 In HSBN Preseason Challenge

Like any sports, momentum is an important element to have on your side on the baseball diamond.

Host North Broward Prep rode the momentum of a two-run home run from Hernando Sierra on its way to a 4-0 shutout over Atlantic in an HSBN Preseason Challenge game played Wednesday afternoon.

Sierra crushed a fastball deep over the fence in centerfield in the bottom of the third inning, and North Broward never looked back.

Early on it had been Atlantic in the driver’s seat, as it put runners on base in each of the first three innings. But each time the host team was able to fight out of the inning, and after jumping in the lead the team never looked back.

North Broward’s pitching staff settled in and pitched effectively in support of starter Chad Fleischman, who earned the victory after throwing the first three frames.

Drew Rangel, Anthony Masiello and Will Simpson combined to hold Atlantic to just three hits over the final four innings.

“We’re still trying to figure out who we are on the mound so I was very happy with the shutout,” North Broward manager Brian Campbell said. “To put these guys out there and then watch them throw strikes was a very positive thing. Hopefully the guys who pitch tomorrow can do the same thing.”

Across the field, Atlantic was also working with its young pitching staff after putting ace Cody Bryant on the mound in the team’s preseason opener on Tuesday.

Right-hander Jesse Kieffer got the start on the hill for Atlantic, before giving way to Jake Wallin in the fourth inning. Jarren Pinkney also came in for the sixth inning.

“We’re in the one-plus pitching mode in that we have one pitcher plus everybody else we’re trying to find,” Atlantic manager Steve Wilson said. “Each and every one of them today did something very well and I was impressed with all three of them.”

Although Atlantic managed six hits, it was unable to push any runners home in support of its pitchers.

“It was frustrating that we got people on base but couldn’t get that key hit,” Wilson said. “We tend to get overaggressive, and when we do that we aren’t doing the small things.”

Meanwhile North Broward added to its lead on an RBI double from Fleischman in the bottom of the fifth inning and a fielder’s-choice RBI groundout from Mike Surdis that closed the scoring in the sixth.

While happy with the result, Coach Campbell was also pleased with the team’s approach to the preseason contest. Although the team ultimately did not score any runs in the fifth inning, the players did execute two hit-and-run plays perfectly, while also putting in productive at-bats in moving the runners over on the bases.

“We work on our situational hitting and I wanted to see it in a game, so that’s why I called it,” Campbell said. “I’m happy we executed it and did what we were taught to do. To see them execute this early in the season is very good.”

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