American Heritage Dominates, Heads To Regional Finals

Defending state champion American Heritage hosted the Jensen Beach Falcons in Tuesday night’s 5A regional semifinal having lost only once this season at home, and Patriots ace Shaun Anderson came into game 11-1 on the season.

The Patriots exploded at the plate to charge to an early lead and never looked back, winning 10-0 and moving on to host Friday’s 7 p.m. regional final against Estero.

Anderson gave up just two hits struck out five.

Jensen Beach starting pitcher Tyler Blatch struck out eight but was unable to keep the juggernauts off the scoreboard.  American Heritage combined for four home runs and nine hits on their way to a 10-run mercy rule in the sixth inning.

“Both teams were facing a Division I pitcher, so it’s just a matter of who’s going to come out and execute,” said American Heritage Manager Bruce Aven. “We have guys through out or lineup that are capable of beating you. I thought our guys did everything they were suppose to do tonight.”

The first inning went scoreless with Blatch getting the best of Heritage with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

But in the second inning the Patriots were able to locate the ball and broke out to a large lead. C.J Chatham led off to start the second inning, swung on at the first pitch he saw and drove it over the left-field fence for a solo home run.

Blatch rebounded back with a quick strikeout, but the Patriots’ Magglio Ordonez ripped a shot to right field for a base hit, setting up David Villar for a two-run homer to left-center field.

A scary moment occurred when Brandon Diaz was hit in the head by a pitch, but he was OK and able to walk to first.

Zack Collins followed with a deep shot to left field, landing just shy of another home run but sending Diaz home for a four-run lead.

The Falcons’ Tyler Blatch was walked to start the fourth inning. As he dashed to steal second, the Patriots overthrew and allowed him to advance to third with no outs.

Jensen Beach’s Kyle Bauer struck a deep fly ball for a sacrifice fly, but the Falcons were unable to beat out the throw from right field to Collins at the plate for a double play.

The Patriots began to attack again in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ordonez was walked to lead off the inning, but Blatch sat down the Patriots’ next two batters.

Brandon Diaz came to the plate for his third at-bat, leaned back and knocked another Patriots home run for a 6-0 lead.

American Heritage never took its foot off the petal, continuing to stay aggressive.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ordonez held his bat and was walked, Villar, looking for a slider cranked a pitch over center field for his second home run of the game, the Patriots fourth on the night.

“Villar had one outstanding night at the plate for us,” Aven said. “He’s an eight-hole hitter with two home runs to help us out.”

Sophomore Chris Reyes got in on the hitting spree and sent a pitch popping just over the infield for a single. Diaz was then walked. Collins executed a fly ball to left field for an out, moving over the runners in scoring position.

The Patriots’ Danny Zardon connected on a pitch, sending it right up the middle and bringing home Reyes, and Diaz, ending the game with a 10-run mercy rule.

“We had great defensive plays that killed the momentum for Jensen Beach, and at the plate we forced deep counts even at times where we were chasing we kept it aggressive, and now we look ahead to Friday.”

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