Matt Hardy Pitches West Broward To 3-0 Win Over Western

Whenever Matt Hardy is on the mound, West Broward has a lot of confidence.

The team knows they will not need much offensively because their right-handed hurler is going to do his job and keep it close.

On Saturday the offense did just enough and Hardy took care of the rest as West Broward earned a 3-0 victory over District 8A-12 rival Western in its HSBN Game of the Week showdown held at Western High.

The Bobcats improve to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the district, while also recording their second straight shutout victory over a district opponent this week.

“It’s a position that we’re always looking for, and we take pride in knowing we have to compete to be in the top,” West Broward Manager Sergio Ambros said. “We know when we come out we’re going to get the other team’s best performance, and tonight was no different.”

Hardy was his usual dominant self on the hill, going the distance for the third time this season to improve to 2-1. The senior right-hander held the Wildcats (1-5, 0-4) to three hits, without issuing any walks but hitting two batters.

He threw 60 of his 93 pitches for strikes, finishing with 11 strikeouts to raise his team-leading total to 35 on the year.

“Matt really came out and had his game on,” Bobcats right fielder Christian Khawly said. “It motivates the team even more to make plays just for him.”

West Broward did just that, piecing together just enough offense while playing error-free on defense.

Danny Pardo put them on the board with some smart base running in the top of the third inning. After connecting on a 2-2 pitch for a two-out single up the middle, Pardo was able to come around and score when Aires Rivera blooped the ball into the right field gap and the fielder lost track of him on the bases after barely missing on the diving catch.

“We fell asleep defensively on that play and they got a hustle-run out of it,” Wildcats coach Paul Barnes admitted. “It’s not an effort thing; it’s an execution problem we’re having right now.”

In the top of the fourth inning it was Khawly sparking things off when he crushed a shot to the left-center field gap for a leadoff double.

Batting third in the order, Khawly reached base all four appearances by going 2-for-2 and also drawing a pair of walks.

“Our hitting coach has helped me change up a few things, and he has helped me to open up and see the ball,” Khawly said. “I make sure I swing at my pitches and not to swing at the pitcher’s pitch. I try to make a good swing and put us in a position where we can get runs across or getting in a position where I can score.”

With Khawly in scoring position Luigi Perez singled to centerfield, and Khawly was able to come around and score when Wildcats center fielder Tyler Fichter slipped on the wet grass and went to the ground with a leg injury.

Perez then followed home when Cody Newell sliced a double down the third-base line.

Newell was 2-for-3 in the contest.

The three runs would be more than enough support for Hardy on this night, as he did not allow a base runner to reach second base after the fourth inning.

“It was a great victory all around,” Hardy said. “We had some clutch hitting today and some great at bats. We made the pitcher throw strikes, made him work deep into the counts. We did a good job today.”

For a Western team that has already endured several injuries to key contributors, the last thing Coach Barnes wanted to see was his leadoff hitter and standout center fielder go down with injury. Right fielder Alex Balter was also slowed down after being hit by a fastball in a spot that made his voice two octaves higher.

Thankfully neither player was seriously injured, and Balter remained in the game.

But what the Wildcats are even more thankful for is Saturday’s starter, Sean Horner.

The senior right-hander was a workhorse on the mound, throwing 95 pitches over six full innings while limiting West Broward to a pair of earned runs to give his team a fighting chance.

Horner (1-2) scattered nine hits and three walks while recording six strikeouts.

“Sean kept us in the game,” Barnes said. “Sean has been outstanding for us, and really he has been a savior for us. Our pitching has been great. We’re just not executing at all offensively. We’re waiting for somebody to step up still, but we just haven’t found it yet.”

Senior catcher Ryan Gabriel was a bright spot in going 2-for-3, but the team managed only a single from Mac Hessney otherwise.

Western was shut out by a district opponent for the second straight night, after losing 4-0 the previous evening to Everglades.

The home team did get a big boost from the strong turnout they received for the big game, which helped create a nice atmosphere for both squads.

“It was good to see a lot of people out here in the stands,” Barnes said. “The kids were excited for it and it was a great atmosphere.”

Coach Ambros shared the same sentiments and admitted the team was thrilled and honored to be a part of Saturday’s feature game, from which a portion of all proceeds will be donated to the Joe Dimaggio Children’s Foundation.

“It was a great atmosphere and the kids couldn’t wait to get here and get the game going,” Ambros said. “We look forward to hopefully doing this again someday in the future.”

The Bobcats earned their third shutout win this season, and move into sole possession of second place in the district.

With a big showdown against Flanagan holding the stakes for first place in 8A-12 coming up next week, Coach Ambros is quick to point out that the team cannot be complacent and dwell too long on this strong week.

“I told them to enjoy this win tonight and to enjoy it tomorrow, and then get to work on Monday,” Ambros said. “We have two tough games next week against Pompano and Flanagan, and neither one is going to take us lightly.”

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