Gators turn back Seahawks
The Cape Coral Seahawks made some costly fielding errors Friday, which contributed to a five-run deficit against the Island Coast Gators. As the Seahawks fought back, the Gators gave away a few outs of their own.
Despite the miscues, the game turned into a thrilling test for two of the area’s youngest teams.
Island Coast junior Will Machin delivered a two-run single and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh as the Gators prevailed 8-6.
“This was a good game for us,” Gators coach Clint Montgomery said. “We’ve been beating people by a lot or losing by a lot. It was something we needed to prove to ourselves.”
It was the second meeting of the season between the city schools. The Gators won both, including a 4-1 victory at the Early Bird Tournament. A third meeting is scheduled for later in the season.
Both teams figure to get better as this season progresses and in the years ahead, with rosters filled with talented underclassmen.
The Gators (6-7) seemed to be cruising toward their second victory in as many games, leading the Seahawks 6-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning. Until that point, sophomore Taylor Renegar had only allowed one run on two hits.
The Seahawks (2-11) then made their charge. Senior Nick Gillogly walked to start the sixth-inning rally, and manufactured a run by stealing second and third, and coming home on a wild throw at third.
They scored four more runs after that to tie it 6-6. Senior Alex Torres delivered an RBI double to deep center, and Brian Heminger and Brandon Marshall each came through with two-out RBI singles.
The Gators made two errors, which helped to extend the inning. The Seahawks brought a total of 11 batters to the plate.
“I liked that we answered,” Cape assistant coach Mike Gorton said. “That was one of the first times all year that we answered back.”
Both teams got solid outings from their starting pitchers – Renegar for the Gators and freshman Cain Spangler for the Seahawks.
Spangler allowed two runs in his four innings, both coming in the second. After Marco LoSauro was struck by a pitch, sophomore Kyle Harding drilled a single to center, scoring LoSauro. The Seahawks made an error on a sharply hit ball by Pablo Matos, accounting for the Gators’ second run.
The Seahawks got one back in the bottom of the second when Heminger led off with a single and scored on an RBI by Tyler Wimberly.
The Gators built their 6-1 lead courtesy of a four-run fifth. After the Seahawks tied it, the Gators responded in the top of the seventh.
Machin led off with a single and advanced to second on Renegar’s sacrifice bunt. The Seahawks’ fourth error of the night on a ball hit by LoSauro, allowed Machin to score from second. LoSauro also scored on a wild pitch, putting the Gators up two runs.
“After they took the lead I knew as the first batter I needed to be aggressive,” said Machin. “The team followed behind me and we pulled through it.”
Island Coast’s Harding pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh to record the win.
Island Coast 020 040 2 – 8 5 2
Cape Coral 010 005 0 – 6 7 4
W – Kyle Harding. L – Beau McIlargey.
2B – Alex Torres (C).