Flanagan Walks Off McCarthy 2-1 In Epic Battle

Game of the Week Gallery

If there was a better game of baseball played anywhere else on this planet Saturday night, chances are it was played by professionals.

In the final HSBN Broward Game of the Week, two of the most renowned programs in the county returned to the battle field as #2 Flanagan hosted #1 Archbishop McCarthy for their second premiere meeting in as many years. Playing in front of a packed and enthusiastic crowd, the game, featuring two of the top ten teams in the nation, lived up to its billing.

After sparring the full way, it was the host Falcons who came up with one last big play to walk off with a 2-1 victory. Catcher Miguel Presno scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Oscar Rodriguez with one out in the seventh to lift the Falcons (19-1).

Saturday night brought a rematch of last year’s hurlers, which was the undeniable reason why the game saw such little offensive run production. Mavericks ace Brian Gonzalez locked horns with Falcons ace Gentry Fortuno, and both pitchers brought their best stuff to the mound with them. Both starters were still on the hill in the final frame, and the scoreboard operator had not had to do very much work in the meantime.

It was Fortuno who earned the victory, as the right-hander went the distance on exactly 100 pitches. The junior recorded eight strikeouts while scattering seven hits and two walks, and also hit a batter. With his pitch count up, Fortuno was lobbying to remain in the game should things have gone to extra innings. Instead Evans simply challenged his players to win it for their pitcher then and there with their final swings.

“I am very happy about my hitters coming through,” said Fortuno, who admitted he was so into the game he could hardly control himself in the dugout. “The anxiety was back and forth and constant. I kept going back and getting a drink of water. Just sitting on the bench, I couldn’t sit down and I couldn’t sit still. I had to be up and out and cheering my team on and going at it. We fought to the end and to the last pitch of the inning and we came out with the win.”

Flanagan has now won both meetings in this young and rewarding series, after also coming away victorious in the Game of the Week showdown at Mavericks Stadium last year. But in neither case has the win been anything close to easy.

“I’m just elated,” said Flanagan Manager Ray Evans. “Our guys battled. They weren’t going to give in. They bent last night but didn’t break and they stood up and they wanted to be counted. But don’t take anything away from Archbishop McCarthy because that’s probably the best baseball game you’re going to see. That was two solid pitchers going at it, solid battery and great defense.”

Before coming around the bases to notch the winning run Presno first delivered the big hit to spark the rally. Batting out of a nine-hole slot that was hugely productive for both clubs, Presno sliced a 1-0 offering over third and out of reach of the diving third baseman to give him a standup double to lead off the bottom of the seventh.

“I just wanted to put the ball in play and make them make a play, and it happened to go down the line and I ended up on second base,” said Presno. “I had to get on somehow and I just wanted to put the ball in play. I didn’t want to strike out like I did in the first inning. I don’t like to strike out; nobody does.”

After Gonzalez answered back to strike out the next batter, Presno made a great jump to beat the throw from the catcher and steal third base to get within ninety feet of touching home. When Luis Barranco walked and took second on defensive indifference, the Falcons prepared their guys to go on contact and bring Barranco to third and trap Presno on the bases if necessary. When the ball was hit down the third baseline Presno went halfway, and when the fielder tried to tag him out he was able to juke away from the tag and then break for home for the winning run.

It was a nice gamble for the Falcons to leave Presno on the field, since most squads typically invoke their opportunity to sub in a courtesy runner for their catchers. But Evans admitted afterwards he was glad that Presno asked to stay in, because he has so much confidence in him on the bases.

“It’s awesome that Coach and I have such a great relationship,” said Presno. “He’s been working with me as long as Coach Hobbs since I got here; and I came in here as an infielder and I have some speed. So sometimes he lets me run the bases, and in that situation it paid off.”

After the way both teams played throughout this epic marathon, it was a tough thing for either side to have to walk off the field with a loss. But that was the reality for the Mavericks (21-2), who lost for the first time since very early in the season. Even despite the defeat, Mavericks Manager Rich Bielski could not help but appreciate how well his guys performed under the big setting they faced on the road.

“It’s very similar to playoff baseball,” said Bielski. “Obviously it’s not a playoff and at the end of the day it’s a win or a loss, but it had a playoff feel. It was two very good teams going at it with cat-and-mouse games. I’m really proud and our boys played very well. We played great defense and we pitched amazing. I felt at any time we might break out with a five-run inning. But you’ve got to take your hat off to Flanagan; they hung in there and they beat us with a ball that went maybe eighteen feet from home plate.”

After both teams battled through three action-packed but scoreless innings, it was Mavericks catcher Ryan Sinzenich who sent the atmosphere soaring to another intense level. The senior came to the plate just after Flanagan right fielder David Sarmiento made a nice diving catch and throw to first base to record a 9-3 double play, and Sinzenich quickly swung momentum back in McCarthy’s favor when he stung a pitch deep to center field for a solo home run and a 1-0 Mavericks lead.

The Falcons answered right back in the bottom of the fourth. Mark Vientos reached on an error that landed him on second base, and he then beat the throw to third base when Kevin Mora laid down a sacrifice bunt that drew the throw in an attempt to get the lead runner. As so often happens in the great game of baseball, it was David Sarmiento who carried some of the adrenaline he produced with his big defensive play to then follow that up by lining an RBI single up the middle just out of reach of the defender.

“Dave Sarmiento came up with the big hit that got us back going,” said Evans. “He had the big catch and doubled it up, and then he comes up and gets the big RBI. When that happens, that’s usually a spark for Gentry. He settled down and he started delivering in really good locations and his changeup started working really nasty.”

Fortuno did just that, as he tossed three scoreless innings to close things out. The right-hander has the rare distinction as being one of few pitchers who has ever beaten the Mavericks, and he has now done it twice. Saturday night allowed him to bring his best against the best, and afterwards he was nearly at a loss for words.

“Honestly, I am speechless. It has been an intense game all around,” said Fortuno. “Last year was an intense game, but this year it was a one-run game throughout. I gave up a home run in the fourth and I knew we were going to come back. But Big B pitched a heck of a game; it was a pitcher’s battle and hitting wasn’t there much for both teams. We came out with a run in the last inning and we came out with the ‘W’ and I’m very excited.”

Both teams schemed and adjusted throughout the game, and particularly in the final few innings when things got very tight and intense. Both sides had constant defensive realignments, crash plays and pickoff moves. It was a game that both sides wanted, a game that pitted two fantastic ball clubs who both proved every step of the way just how they have garnered such reputations.

In just over a week every team still playing will find themselves in such intense environments. These two clubs appreciated the opportunity to face such a worthy opponent to prepare for those upcoming playoff games. While this was a great experience for both sides, there was also no doubt that they both wanted this victory too.

“It came down to a tapper, an 18-foot dribbler,” said Bielski. “Sometimes that’s how baseball is. One team hits the ball and lines out all game long, plays great defense and picks off runners, runs bunt plays to perfection, and then an 18-footer beats you. That’s baseball. Flanagan has a great team and I’m sure they are going to go deep in the playoffs and we wish them the best of luck.”

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