Prep Report: Mariner dumps Baker 10-0
Using one word to describe his team’s recent play, Mariner High coach Steve Larsen chose “poor.”
Not even a 10-0 victory over Ida Baker Friday night in the third-place game of the Bud Roth Memorial Tournament at Terry Park could change his mind.
“We’re not executing enough in any phase of the game,” he said. “Our pitching has been average and our overall intensity is lacking.”
The Tritons (20-3) took three of four games in the tournament to secure third place. Their only blemish was a 6-4 loss to Bishop Verot Wednesday.
On the other side of the diamond, the Bulldogs (9-14) are searching for consistency. They went 2-2 in the tournament and their play closely resembled their season as a whole.
“We’re streaky,” Baker coach Chad Turner said. “One night we come out and hit the ball all over and the next day we can’t touch it.”
It was more of the latter Friday as the Bulldogs managed three hits against Mariner junior Taylor Walker. The 6-foot-4 right-hander worked all six innings and struck out 12.
Dustin Mishka, Matt Ringland and Blake Fraser each cracked doubles for the Bulldogs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, respectively, but Walker came back and got key strikeouts to end the threats.
Mariner’s deep lineup made solid contact throughout against three different Baker pitchers. The biggest hits came in the sixth. Angel Laborde led off with a solo homer to left field. Alex Santana cleared the bases with a three-run double and Walter Cleary belted a two-run shot to center.
After stranding a pair of runners in each of the first two innings, the Tritons broke through with four runs in the top of the third. Laborde led off with a double and scored on an RBI double by Michael Zunino. Dan Cohill and Cleary, who each finished 3-for-4, delivered two-out RBI singles.
The 4-0 lead stood until the sixth when the Tritons batted around and scored six runs. Laborde’s home run ignited the inning and Cleary capped it with his fifth of the season.
The Bulldogs disputed Cleary’s home run, questioning whether it bounced over the fence for a double. Centerfielder Jason Eick put his hands up to signal that he couldn’t get to the ball, but the umpires ruled it did clear the fence on a fly.
The Tritons defeated the Bulldogs for the second time this season, while the Bulldogs handed the Tritons a 17-16 defeat in their previous meeting before Friday.
Mariner 004 006 – 10 13 1
Ida Baker 000 000 – 0 3 0
W – Taylor Walker (M). L – Justin Gubelman (IB).
2B – Angel Laborde (M), Michael Zunino (M), Alex Santana (M), Dustin Mishka (IB), Matt Ringland (IB), Blake Fraser (IB).
HR – Laborde, Walter Cleary (M).
IMG Pendleton 7, Bishop Verot 5: Bishop Verot fought back from a 6-0 deficit before falling to undefeated IMG Pendleton (29-0) in the championship game of the Bud Roth Tournament.
Verot scored on an RBI double by Josh Doragh in the fifth and put together a four-run rally in the sixth, which included RBI singles by Doragh and Josh Garcia.
IMG Pendleton 113 101 0 – 7 8 1
Bishop Verot 000 014 x – 5 7 1
W – Mulholland. L – D.J. Schleicher.
2B – Josh Doragh (BV), Tommy Dougherty (BV), Murphy (P), Mace (P), Patton (P). 3B – Murphy (P). HR – Connor McCarthy (P).
Estero 11, Cape Coral 6: Tyler Selesky’s two-run triple sparked Estero’s 10-run fourth-inning attack in a win at Cape Coral.
The Seahawks (5-15) are back in action Saturday at Fort Myers.
Estero 000 (10)00 1 – 11 9 4
Cape Coral 100 3 00 2 – 6 7 4
W – Miller. L – Marshall.
3B – Selesky (E).
Softball
Lonshore Memorial Classic: Brooke Albert connected for three hits, including a double and a triple, to drive in four runs to spark Mariner to a 19-3 victory over Carrollton in the first of two games in the tournament in Naples.
Samantha Rapp also banged out three hits and drove in a run for the Tritons (13-7)
Mariner 740 71 – 19 14 3
Carrollton 003 00 – 3 3 7
W – Grigiski. L – McGrath.
2B – Albert (M). 3B – Albert (M), Greenwell (M).
Tennis
District 2A-11: Bishop Verot captured two singles and both doubles titles Friday at FGCU to repeat as girls’ district champions by an 18-16 margin over Lemon Bay.
Linda Kornienko won the No. 1 singles title with a 6-1, 6-3 decision to earn an automatic berth in the FHSAA State Finals. She also teamed up with Mariel Rickert for a 6-0, 6-3 doubles victory and an automatic berth in the State Finals.
Winning the district title allows Verot’s entire team to host Naples Lely in the Region 2A-6 tourney Tuesday at the Ace Tennis Center.
Nia-Marie Eddie also claimed a singles title at No. 3, and teamed with Kathleen Norris to win at No. 2 doubles.
Sports editor Jim Linette contributed to this report.