Gut Check Time For Douglas After Losing Second Straight

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The Douglas Eagles have not had many times over the past few years where they have had to rebound. Last season, the Eagles lost only two games in their way to state and national championships, and before Tuesday, Douglas’ last district loss came all the way back on April 3rd, 2014.

Those accomplishments, however, seem like a distant memory as the Eagles dropped their second consecutive home game Wednesday afternoon, a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Venice.

“I can’t figure this team out,” said Manager Todd Fitz-Gerarld. “The responsibility falls on me as the head coach to get this figured out. Right now we have a lot of guys playing for themselves, and that has to change if we want to reach the goals we have set for ourselves.”

Against the Indians, it was an uncharacteristic team from what has become one of the most fundamentally sound teams in the state. The defense made three errors, and the pitching staff had three walks and hit four batters.

Offensively, the Eagles could not get anything going off Venice starter Caleb Williams, mustering only three hits on the afternoon. It was a performance similar to the previous day, when Douglas gave up the district lead in a 4-3 loss to Taravella.

“We know we are going to get everybody’s best on the mound,” said Fitz-Gerald, “But that is not an excuse. We have guys that are not swinging the bats well, and do not have good approaches at the plate. It’s tough to win with that combination. We’ve tried five or six different combinations in the lineup and haven’t found the right one yet, but we will keep playing with it until we find one that works.”

One of the bright spots on the afternoon was ace Brandon Kaminer. As has come to be expected from the lefty, Kaminer kept the Eagles in the game, firing five innings and allowing only one earned run. If there was any knock on Kaminer it was that he worked his pitch count up, forcing himself out of the game after five innings.

“I thought Brandon did a good job today,” said Fitz-Gerald. “He kept us in the game, but we couldn’t get anything going offensively, and the defense let him down.”

The game was not decided until the seventh inning. With the score 1-0 Venice, the Eagles tied the game in the fourth. Max Miednik reached on a third strike that went to the backstop, and stole second base. Ricky Shimko then delivered an opposite-field single to tie the game at one.

Douglas then had a chance in the sixth to tie the game. Luis Acevedo reached on an error to start the inning, and Rafael Santos singled to left, sending the Indians to Brant Brown in the bullpen. With two on and nobody out, Fitz-Gerald called on Miednik to drop a sacrifice bunt. Miednik popped the bunt up, David Vazquez struch out, and Indians catcher Mac Guscette picked pinch-runner Garrett Knoble off first, ending the threat.

Venice then scored three runs in the top of the seventh, and retired the Eagles in order in the bottom half, securing the win and Douglas’ second straight loss.

“We are going to find out a lot about this team now,” said Fitz-Gerald. “These guys haven’t accomplished anything yet. This is a different team than last year, and now we have to get back to work and get this thing back on track. I have confidence we will do that, it’s just going to take some time.”

Things do not get any easier for the defending 9A champs. After a district road game Friday against Monarch, the Eagles will face HSBN Broward #7 Pompano, Miami #2 Monsignor Pace, and #9 Coral Springs in consecutive games.

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