Prep Report: Cape comeback robs Baker
The Cape Coral Seahawks’ comeback in the late innings from a five-run deficit to beat the Ida Baker Bulldogs 7-6 Tuesday night was akin to highway robbery.
Or, for the Bulldogs, though, it seemed more like an early gift-wrapped present for St. Patrick’s Day.
“We just did not get it done tonight,” said Bulldogs coach Ryan Jackson. “We couldn’t close it out. We haven’t learned how to sustain a lead, which is part of being a young team. They’ve got to learn to execute and find that killer instinct.”
Jackson also thought the Bulldogs should have put up more than six runs against the Seahawks, especially with ace left-hander Sean Brady on the mound.
The late scoring by the Seahawks overcame a 6-1 deficit against Brady, who had been cruising. The Seahawks did not get their first hit off Brady until the fifth inning, but had five hits in the three-run sixth, stringing together four base hits in a row to shave three runs off the deficit.
Clinging to a 6-4 lead, Brady then walked the leadoff batter in the seventh and was relieved by Branden Gutierrez. Brady struck out 11 batters, but did not get the decision.
“We did a good job fighting back,” said Seahawks coach Mike Gorton. “Sean (Brady) is a heckuva pitcher, one of the best in the area. He carved us up early.”
Mitch Marinack drew the leadoff walk off Brady in the seventh to start the game-winning rally. Danny Hale followed with a single to center off Gutierrez (3-2), who was tagged with the loss. A successful double steal put the tying runs in scoring position at second and third with no outs.
Freshman Luke Spangler hit a chopper to third base, but Justin Pinto’s throw home was too late to get Marinack. That left the Seahawks still one run short with runners at first and second. Cody Carroll bunted the ball hard past the mound, but the hurried throw to first sailed high and caromed down the right field line in foul territory. Both Hale and Spangler circled the bases to score the tying and winning runs.
“It was important to get that first runner on base in the seventh,” said Gorton, who counted on brave baserunning and a bunt to finish the comeback, a tactic he has used before. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Cody gave us as good a bunt as you can get in that situation.”
The Seahawks got the game’s first run on an aberration. With two out in the first inning, Cain Spangler reached on one of the Bulldogs’ three defensive errors. He was picked off first base just as he headed to second. The throw to second sailed into the outfield. Spangler got up and scored before the ball was retrieved. The Seahawks were shut down from there until the sixth.
“Brady was coming up with his pitches and lost some bite on his breaking ball,” said Gorton, “so we focused more on his fastball.”
With two out in the sixth, Brad Kopale and Brandon Marshall delivered back-to-back RBI singles and Koji Spangler added an RBI double, all off Brady.
The Bulldogs plated four runs in the fourth inning using a combination of three singles, a double and a fielder’s choice.
The win snaps a two-game losing streak for the Seahawks (8-3), who host North Fort Myers Thursday night. It could be a costly win since starting pitcher Derek Pandolfi threw just three pitches before having to leave with a sore elbow.
Stefan Groening came on in his place, lasting four innings. Marshall (3-2) started the fifth and finished.
The Bulldogs (6-6) play at Dunbar Thursday, then go home for a rematch with the Seahawks Friday.
Ida Baker 001 410 0 – 6 8 3
Cape Coral 100 003 3 – 7 7 5
W – Marshall (3-2). L – Gutierrez (3-2).
2B – Fitch (IB), Gutierrez (IB), K. Spangler (CC).
Palmetto 5, Mariner 3: A two-run double in the first inning and a two-run home run in the third lifted Palmetto to victory over Mariner in the consolation round of the Sarasota Baseball Classic.
Ryan Hutson (2-for-3), Kevin Cavanagh (2-for-4) and Charlie Klein (2-for-3) led the Tritons, who scored three single runs but were unable to overcome Palmetto’s 5-1 lead.
Jason Carmichael (2-2) scattered three base hits, but walked five to take the loss for the Tritons (7-5), who have lost three in a row.
The Tritons play again Wednesday against an opponent to be determined.
Palmetto 302 000 0 – 5 3 2
Mariner 011 100 0 – 3 9 4
W – Gruener. L – Carmichael (2-2).
2B – Santana (M), Hutson (M), Sanford (P). HR – Lynch (P).
Island Coast 11, LaBelle 1: Five players accounted for 11 base hits to carry Island Coast to a District 3A-12 win at LaBelle.
Cole Ondrejka (3-for-4), Jordan Moody (2-for-4), Pablo Matos (2-for-3), Chase Vogelbach (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and Kameron Gellinger (2-for-3, 2 RBI) led the Gators, who struck for eight runs in the sixth and produced a total of 13 base hits.
Tanner Renegar kept LaBelle guessing, tossing five innings, scattering seven hits and striking out eight.
The Gators (9-2, 2-1 district) host South Fort Myers Thursday.
Island Coast 001 208 – 11 13 0
LaBelle 010 000 – 1 7 2
W – Tanner Renegar (3-1). L – Sordell.
2B – Gellinger (IC), C. Vogelbach (IC), Matos (IC). HR – McCardle (L).
Lakewood Ranch 11, Bishop Verot 1: Five runs in the second inning was all Lakewood Ranch would need in routing Bishop Verot in the second round of the Sarasota Baseball Classic.
The Vikings (8-2) play Wednesday against an opponent to be determined.
Lkwd Ranch 050 33 – 11 11 1
Bishop Verot 100 00 – 1 5 2
W – Hanewich. L – Passantino (1-1).
2B – McNett (LR), Larsen (LR), Haefeli (BV).
Softball
Ida Baker 5, Cape Coral 3: Senior Hannah Kelly cracked an RBI triple in the fifth inning and Louie Ross drove in two runs with a sixth-inning single to stake Baker to a District 4A-11 victory at Cape Coral.
Baker sophomore Maddy Peres (9-0) allowed one hit and struck out 14.
Jessica Nuccio had three hits, Katie Rieser had two hits with an RBI and Shanelly Brown added a pair of hits for the Bulldogs (9-0), who play at Dunbar Thursday.
Ida Baker 001 022 0 – 5 10 4
Cape Coral 000 030 0 – 3 1 1
W – Peres (9-0). L – Harkins.
3B – Kelly (IB).
North Fort Myers 4, Fort Myers 0: Sydney Bowden scored two runs and drove in two runs to help hand North Fort Myers a shutout of Fort Myers.
The Red Knights (7-3) visit Cape Coral Thursday.
Fort Myers 000 000 0 – 0 4 2
North FM 120 001 x – 4 3 0
W – Boyden (5-2). L – Mayer.
HR – Bowden (NFM).
Tennis
Matches played Thursday:
(Boys) Mariner 6, Island Coast 1
Singles – Steven Allen (M) def. Mason Rodill 6-1, 6-3; Bradley Allen (M) def. Matthew Swenson 3-6, 6-2, 10-4; Jordan Coberly (M) def. Robert Swenson 6-0, 6-1; Kelly Bravard (M) def. Billy Rees 7-5, 6-2; Cody Kibler (M) def. Ryan Dungan 7-5, 4-6, 11-9.
Doubles – Rodill-M. Swenson (IC) def. Derick Adams-Ethan Fletcher 8-2; Coberly-Travis Pacheco (M) def. Naija Derrick-Mitch Irvin 8-2.
Records: Mariner 7-4.
Next Match: Tuesday, Mariner at Lehigh; Wednesday, North Fort Myers at Island Coast.
(Girls) Mariner 7, Island Coast 0
Singles – Madison Fletcher (M) def. Brittany Cobb 6-0, 6-0; Taylor Brown (M) def. Cassiday Ferrara 6-1, 6-2; Lexi Perun (M) def. Jerica Manzi 6-4, 6-1; Mariner won #4 and #5 singles by forfeit.
Doubles – Monica Amaya-Daria Parks (m) def. Cobb-Ferrara 8-2; Mariner won #2 doubles by forfeit.
Records: Mariner 10-1.
Next Match: Tuesday, Mariner at Lehigh; Tuesday, North Fort Myers at Island Coast.
Matches played Tuesday:
(Boys) Baker 7, South Fort Myers 0
Singles – Nick Boye (IB) def. Andrew Haas 8-6; Matt Harrison (IB) def. Sean Parke 8-0; Caleb Littlestone (IB) def. Justin Reynolds 8-0; Chris Carrillo (IB) def. Nam Dao 8-5; Baker wins by forfeit.
Doubles – Boye-Harrison (IB) def. Haas-Parke 8-3; Andres Ochoa-David Silverberg (IB) def. Reynolds-Dao 8-2.
Records: Baker 7-2.
Next Match: Thursday, Baker at North Fort Myers
(Boys) Mariner 6, Cape Coral 1
Singles – Steven Allen (M) def. Gerardo Carrizo 4-6, 7-6 11-9; Naija Derrick (CC) def. Bradley Allen 6-0, 6-1; Jordan Coberly (M) def. Mitch Irvin 6-4, 6-4; Travis Pacheco (M) def. Gustavo Corella 4-6, 6-6(8-6); Ethan Fletcher (M) def. Jake Rainville 6-2, 6-6(7-2).
Doubles – S. Allen-B. Allen (M) def. Carrizo-Xavier Walters 8-2; Coberly-Pacheco (M) def. Derrick-Irvin 8-6.
Records: Mariner 5-4.
Next Match: Thursday, Island Coast at Mariner.
(Girls) Mariner 6, Cape Coral 1
Singles – Tori Webb-Martin (M) def. Kaitlyn Dampier 7-5, 6-2; Katia Khatskevich (M) def. Myra Abu-Sarkodie 6-0, 6-1; Sydney Bell (M) def. Danielle Kamiski 5-7, 6-2, 10-5; Megan Fritz (M) def. Brooke Blythe 6-3, 6-0; Kayshel Trudell (M) def. Tiffany Casola 7-6(7-1), 6-0.
Doubles – Brittany Webb-Martin-Madison Fletcher (M) def. Dampier-Kamiski 8-5; Blythe-Casola (CC) def. Daria Parks-Taylor Brown 7-5.
Records: Mariner 9-1.
Next Match: Thursday, Island Coast at Mariner.
(Girls) North Fort Myers 7, Lehigh 0
Singles – Abbey Gunderson (NFM) def. Winny Wong 6-0, 6-0; Kateryna Gorbanovska (NFM) def. Betty Rodriguez 6-0, 6-0; Tanya Moore (NFM) def. Whitney Flinn 6-0, 6-0; Roodelyne Forvil (NFM) def. Hollilu Walrond 6-0, 6-0; Marisa Durfey (NFM) def. Hailey Yzauirre 6-0, 6-1.
Doubles – Gunderson-Forvil (NFM) def. Wong-Flinn 8-0; Sarah Ibrahim-Jennifer Gibson (NFM) def. Rodrituez-Walrond 8-0.
Records: North Fort Myers 6-3.
Next Match: Friday, Ida Baker at North Fort Myers.