Westminster Prevails Over Highlands In Game Of The Week
Weston Clemente is congratulated by his teammates and coaches after getting a big strikeout to escape a bases loaded jam in the fourth.
It was worth the wait.
Thomas Messer had waited his whole life for such a moment, and man did it feel good. The Westminster Academy sophomore slugged his first career home run in the bottom of the first inning to spark the host Lions to a big 7-3 district victory over Highlands Christian on Friday night.
Playing to a packed house in the HSBN Broward Game of the Week, Westminster secured a big win to improve to 4-0 in 3A-14. The Lions (13-1) control their own fate with two more district contests left. It was a big showdown with the Knights (8-5), who close out their district play at a solid 4-2 but are also now on the wrong end of any tiebreaker with Westminster.
The game had playoff implications and an electric atmosphere, and the Lions rode the wave of momentum generated by one massive swing from Messer to carry them the duration. Zach Warenius was hit by a pitch and Ramon Ripoll came on as a courtesy runner after the pitcher Weston Clemente walked. In stepped the Lions first baseman Messer, who fell behind before working the count to look for his pitch.
“It was awesome. That’s my first home run that I’ve hit in my life, even in Little League or anything,” Messer said. “I went down 0-2 in that at bat, and I was still widened out and I was choked up on the bat and I didn’t do a high leg kick or anything like that. It was a really good pitch but it was high in the zone and I just swung hard enough. The environment here with all the fans and stuff, I thought it was fantastic. I enjoyed every second of it.”
It was a nice turnout for the Game of the Week, and it seemed as though the fans had barely settled in when Messer lit the scoreboard up with a 3-0 lead. From that moment on things intensified as both squads dug in to battle for this victory. This wasn’t just another spring tilt; this was a game with meaning.
“I think the best thing on both ends for both teams, and we talked about it afterwards, was what a great atmosphere,” said Lions Manager Nick James. “What an exciting atmosphere to play in; it’s as close as you can do to replicating what the postseason is going to feel like, and the district tournament. We had a great turnout on both sides and it was a fun environment to play in, and I think it’s great for high school baseball. I think it’s a tribute to what you guys are doing in promoting the game, and we had a great turnout with our student body tonight and our administration. It’s great to get that support on both ends playing in a game that means something. It’s just a lot of fun.”
The Knights did not disappoint to get things started with excitement for the visiting fans, as they put runners on base right away in the top of the first. Kirvin Moesquit was hit by a pitch and Brendly Martina drew a walk to threaten right out of the chute. But Clemente showed off his full arsenal to work out of trouble, as the big lefty used a great pickoff move to erase one runner before then trapping the other in a rundown on a similar move to clear the bases altogether.
Thomas Messer connects for the first home run of his career.
“We’re going to compete,” said Knights Manager Bruce Charlebois. “The issue tonight was that the boys did not take care of the things that they are responsible for, and when individuals don’t do that there is cost to that. We talk to our boys about that, and what it is, is controlling the things you can control and not allowing the things that you can’t control to control you. That is the staple in our program. We have one heart beat and we love each other and love God in a big way, and we play for him. But when we fail in that area, we have a tendency to fail and lose in those situations.”
After Messer gave him an early lead just a few moments later, Clemente found all the motivation he needed to do his part. The big southpaw has been the workhorse for his club all season, leading them in wins and strikeouts while sporting some impressive personal numbers. But what matters most to him is the wins, and when he sees his teammates rise up to support him he is ready to play his part.
The guys had just come into the dugout with some enthusiasm after some great play on defense, and then suddenly Messer put them out in front in a big way.
“That was a great way to start it off,” said Clemente. “Thomas has been hitting it really good in bp. We always joke with him and say when is the next home run going to be? It was a good timing for the home run, for sure. He just started really hitting and putting the work in, and it is showing. In bp he is hitting, and he hit well in the last game. It shows that hard work pays off.”
Clemente pitched three scoreless frames and seemed in control, but in the fourth the Knights batters dug in to battle through long at bats, fouling off pitches and working the count. Suddenly the bases were loaded, there were no outs, and the Knights were threatening to blow things wide open. Clemente answered back, striking out the next three batters to escape the threat completely unscathed.
“I just think back to all the bullpens and all the practice and go through the routine and throw strikes,” Clemente said. “When they called that third strike I was finally ready to get off there and get out of that inning, so it was good. I didn’t have my best stuff but I went out there and competed and did my best. The atmosphere was great and I had my defense behind me.”
He also had his offense behind him. After Gabe Delgado walked to turn the lineup over, Jeremy Viveros sent a shot deep to left field for an RBI double to plate Delgado with the winning run in the second. Two batters later Josh Viveros bounced an RBI base hit past third base to send his twin brother in with an insurance run.
As so often happens following a big moment in a baseball game, Josh Viveros carried that adrenalin back out on defense with him to then make an impressive basket batch on a fly ball deep to center leading off the third.
“We’ve been playing so well lately, and I came in and I was like we are going to pick up this ‘W’ if we keep playing like this,” Messer admitted. “Even though it wasn’t our best effort defensively, we stick with it. I think that really brings out the character in the team and how there is a lot of experience and how we’re out here to win.”
The Lions make a big tag to escape trouble in the first inning.
The Knights ended the shutout to battle back from a 5-0 deficit with all their runs in the fifth. Moesquit was hit by a pitch and Martina reached on an error. Drexler Macaay then came through with the biggest hit of the night for Highlands, as the catcher rolled the ball to the left side to force the shortstop to leave his feet just to put a glove on it, pushing Moesquit across the plate. A pair of passed balls helped Highlands plate two more runners in the inning.
But they were unable to mount any further scoring chances and pull any closer. Trace Norkus closed the final three innings, allowing a double to Martina and a walk to James McGrath.
Highlands must now wait for the rest of 3A-14 to play out the slate before they know where they line up in things. The squad is confident they can compete in this group, and are eager to play their best baseball going forward.
“We are going to continue to grind it out,” said Charlebois. “For some reason Highlands Christian likes to take the long road home; and it’s been year after year after year where we’re battling the game of life. We know that if we continue to build our character and work together on individual things that we need help with, at the end of it when it matters we’ll come together and get after it like we do in the postseason.”
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