Archbishop McCarthy Finishes On Top Of 5A-15

The Archbishop McCarthy Mavericks (21-5) used a five-run sixth inning to beat the Pembroke Pines Charter Jaguars (13-11), 8-3, and finish on top of 5A-15.

The top of the order did most of the damage for the Mavericks. Justin Lebron, Andrew Ildefonso and Antonio Jimenez went a combined 7 for 10 and drove in seven of the team’s eight runs. Ildefonso doubled in the first to give McCarthy an early 1-0 lead, and Jimenez hit a two-run home run in the third to make it 3-0.

Pembroke Pines Charter got on the board in the top of the fourth when Sebastian Gonzalez drove in Dylan Escobar. The Jaguars didn’t score again until the top of the seventh, which was just after McCarthy’s big inning.

Both teams had their ace on the mound. Connor McShane has been a big-game arm all year for the Mavericks and went five innings strong, striking out a season-high 12 batters. Ildefonso came in for the two-inning save, striking out four more.

The Jaguars had Paul Abolafia Jr. on the mound. The sixth inning was the only truly difficult inning for Abolafia, and his pitch count was significantly elevated by that point. The two bullpen arms couldn’t prevent the inherited runners from scoring, and the Mavericks added a few insurance runs before heading to the final frame.

Both teams will make the regional tournament next week, but the Mavericks should enjoy a home-field advantage throughout as the region’s top seed.

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