North Broward Falls In Battle With Pensacola Catholic

4A Semifinal Photo Gallery

Victory does not always mean to win and advance.

Success is not always measured by accomplishment.

Rewards are not always recognized by trophies and banners.

The North Broward Prep baseball team is an inspiration to all that is great about high school baseball. The club made believers out of all with their unprecedented run to the state tournament. It was a path paved through commitment to one another, faith in their effort and desire beyond belief.

Even as that magical journey came to a difficult end at the conclusion of an epic battle of attrition, there was nothing but honor and love left to hold their spirits high. Facing two-time defending state champion Pensacola Catholic in a marathon that totaled nearly six-and-a-half hours in all, the Eagles were dealt the toughest of blows in falling 8-7 in eight innings Wednesday evening in a Class 4A state semifinal played at jetBlue Park in Fort Myers.

After a back-and-forth affair the likes of which may never be seen again, the Crusaders (25-4) finally landed the final punch by walking off to victory on an RBI single from Cody Henry that scored Troy Stingfellow for the decisive run. It was a game that saw three lead changes, five weather delays, 280 pitches and a million emotions.

North Broward (20-10) had weathered every type of obstacle imaginable just to make it to this point, only to see that all the many tests it had endured during this long tough season had simply been preparation for this game of the ages. Yet through every test, the Eagles exhibited the class and character that defines them. While defeat never comes easy, this squad set the greatest example of all by staying true to the same identity they project in victory that they showed in defeat.

Baseball is a beautiful game, and on Wednesday North Broward Prep reminded everyone just exactly why. As the last Broward County team left standing after Coral Springs Christian Academy also fell Wednesday in a 3A state semifinal, the Eagles did their home region proud. Just as the Crusaders had played inspired baseball and performed with no intimidation of the grand stage they were on earlier in the day, so too did the Eagles bring the best possible approach into the biggest game of their season.

It would be difficult to imagine a scenario where Broward County could be more proud of two teams who both lost on this day. These coaches are charged with making great baseball players, but more importantly they have succeeded in molding great young men.

“That’s what I consider my job, is that I’m helping to shape young men,” said North Broward Manager Brian Campbell. “I tell them all the time it is my job to love you and it is your job to love each other. It’s learning to be good teammates and loving each other. The one thing you need to do when you come to the ballpark is ask yourself when you get there ‘What can I do to make my teammate better’. That’s the approach that we take to it, and when you take that approach and you’re all in and you’re committed to it, you get what you get with our team: a bunch of guys who refuse to give up and who believe in each other and that love each other so much that they would run through a wall for each other in order to win.”

The game had a seesaw of big moments for both sides. Added to the intensity and great play on the field, the day was disrupted numerous times by rain and lightning delays that forced game stoppage a total of five times. For the Eagles, it seemed as if Mother Nature herself was rooting for the Crusaders to get a chance to play for a three-peat, as each time North Broward grabbed the momentum with a big play or sequence of plays, the game was then halted by another delay. Yet even the forces of nature would not deter the Eagles from staying true to themselves and pushing through the adversity.

“I thought it was an outstanding baseball game, probably the longest game I’ve ever been a part of from first pitch to last, for sure,” Campbell said. “It was a grind to have to get hot, and then stop and rest and try to get hot again. But hey, they had to deal with it too. Maybe they dealt with it just a little better then we did. I’m proud of my team; these guys have given me everything they’ve got and I think we got the most out of them. They’ve done a tremendous job all year.”

When the weather finally cleared for good over five hours after the first pitch was thrown, the Crusaders grabbed their first lead with a big four-run sixth inning to go up by a score of 7-6.

Yet even down to their final out, the Eagles got one last reminder of what they are made of that had brought them so far. Senior Edgar Badaraco jumped on a 1-0 offering and crushed it high and deep over the Green Monster in left field for a solo home run that tied the game back up and forced extra innings.

“I was thinking to myself to try and slow the game down for a little bit and get on and hopefully get something started for us,” Badaraco said. “The first pitch went by and I got a good look at it. The next pitch was right in the zone and I turned on it and it just flipped.”

Campbell admitted that because of all the delays there was never really a flow or momentum to the game, and that moment really gave them a little charge. After that happened they were given new life and reminded of how fun this experience was. Even though it did not ultimately lead to a win, it was another example of how their approach had proven to be the right way to take them even that far.

“We knew it was going to be tough but we knew we had the heart to do it,” Badaraco said. “This year has been the greatest year and all four of my high school years have been. I’ve never been part of a family like this; every single one of them is like a brother to me. It’s like I was born with them from day one; and we’re always grinding it out. It just didn’t happen at the end, but I know I have a home to go to and I have brothers for life.”

Badaraco also had a big part in the offensive production, going 3-for-4 with three runs. After Hernando Sierra reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on an RBI single from Kevin Thomas in the second inning, Badaraco singled and tallied his first run on an RBI single off the bat of Max Tannenbaum. Mack Nathanson doubled and then scored on a wild pitch to put the Eagles up 3-0 in the top of the third, before the first weather delay reared its ugly head.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the weather delays came in that fact that it led to the team having to go away from their ace starter, Alex Ernestine. The left-hander tossed three hitless frames to start the contest, and then only got four pitches after a half-hour halt to play. He was replaced to start the bottom of the fourth inning after a two-hour delay. It was not the way Ernestine wanted to end the great ride he had enjoyed this year with his new club, after transferring over from Zion Lutheran before the season started. But he understood that it was the prudent decision, and he trusted that the other guys would get the job done too.

“To begin the season we had a lot of injuries and we had to overcome a lot of obstacles,” said Ernestine. “We started the season off 0-3 and all five of our seniors had to stick together and stay with our main goal to make it to states. We knew if we played together that when everybody got healthy and all the pieces were together it would be a helluva ride. We ended the season 9-1 and there was never a doubt that Eddie wasn’t going to hit that home run, and that we weren’t going to come back in every game that we were down on this whole road.”

As one of the departing seniors, Ernestine lamented the greatest lesson he learned this year that he wishes to pass on to the younger guys on the squad.

“Just the leadership that Eddie, myself, Hernando and Mack Nathanson for sure had, we just never gave up on each other,” Ernestine said. “It showed to the end of the season when we just played together. Like Coach said, when you play as one it just all comes together.”

Ernestine also had a strong day with his glove and bat. His final out on the mound came when he made a fantastic backhand stab on a comebacker to the hill and then coolly ran the ball to the first baseman to complete a 1-2-3 third inning. Then, with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, he chopped a two-RBI double over third base to put North Broward up 6-3.

Yet for all the great plays North Broward made, Pensacola Catholic was there to match them.

With the season now complete, the only thing left for North Broward to do was say goodbye to those moving on in their careers. Coach Campbell could not say enough about the seniors that are graduating from the program.

“I told them that when this team wins its first state championship, and it will happen, they’re just as deserving as that team that wins it,” Campbell said. “Those seniors, they bought all into our system and our approach. They set a foundation for the future to come in this program, to be your brother’s keeper no matter what.”

It was just as tough for Campbell to say goodbye to the team’s coaching staff. Most programs have a coaching unit that is close, and the Eagles are a great example of this often overlooked aspect of the game. Coach Campbell cannot say enough good things about his assistants, Doug Jennings, Kelly Wright and Brandon Cooney. He loves them like brothers and he would do anything for them.

“I can’t say enough good things about those guys,” Campbell said. “Not only are they great baseball coaches, but they are great men and great examples and great leaders. I’m by far the luckiest Head Coach around to have those guys on my staff. They give time up from their families and put up with me being a little crazy from time to time, but they are the best and I am as lucky as I can be. We’re a big group of brothers just like the ballplayers are; we’re right there in it with them. They all take ownership of it; they all believe in it and they are all hurting just like the rest of us because this is important to all of us.”

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