Sheridan Hills Can’t Keep Pace With Miami Country Day

Sheridan Hills has the advantage of not having to worry about preliminary rounds in the playoffs. The Sharks play in a two-team district with Zion Lutheran. Both teams are guaranteed to advance to regionals, but the Sharks know there is work to be done if they are going to advance past the first round of regionals.

Games like Thursday’s 15-3 loss to Miami Country Day expose the Sharks’ deficiencies.

“We’ve got to come out in practice and on game day with intensity and fire, prepared to play,” said Sharks Assistant Mike Cohen. “It’s time to get back to working on fundamentals.”

Country Day scored 11 runs in the first two innings and then cruised to the win.

“It’s great when you get a few runs early,” said Spartans Manager Paul Barrios. “The kids can relax, and we can do a lot of things. We can incorporate our baserunning, hit-and-run, things like that. When you score early, it really opens the game up for you.”

Running was a big part of both teams’ strategy coming in. The teams combined for nine stolen bases, five from Sheridan Hills and four from Miami Country Day. Thomas Davis, Jason Ketcherside, and Carter Weiss each had two stolen bases on the afternoon.

Patience was the theme of the day for the Spartans, who totaled 17 walks in the game. Six Spartans players had at least two walks, and Austin Pollack led the team with three.

The Spartans opened up the game in the top of the first when they scored five runs on four hits. Lead-off hitter Michael Fente led the way, reaching base twice in the inning on a walk and a hit. He also scored the Spartans first run. Fente and Weiss both had multi-hit games, and were at the center of Country Day’s offense explosion.

Fente also started the game on the mound for the Spartans, but after the squad built an 11-1 lead after two innings, Barrios turned the ball over to Jose Oronoz. The freshman went the final three innings for the Spartans, recording the win while only giving up two hits.

“I’m a ninth-grader and I just got up to varsity, so I’m always a little nervous when I get up there on the mound,” said Oronoz. “I just trust what my coaches tell me, and I listen at practice, and today that helped me out there.”

Jose Oronoz picked up the the Sharks put runners on base all afternoon, but were unable to capitalize. Sheridan Hills stranded seven baserunners overall. Three players in the starting lineup — Thomas Davis, Jorge Hernandez and Eric Morla — all reached base twice for the Sharks. Ketcherside reached base all three times he stepped to the plate, with two singles and a walk.

The Spartans have now won two in a row and will finish their regular season against Dade Christian on Saturday before preparing for the playoffs.

“We’ve worked hard and we’ve gotten better since the beginning of the year,” said Oronoz. “I think we have a good chance once the playoffs begin.”

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