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Osceola and St. Cloud will both play for district championships Thursday in baseball and softball. PHOTO/KATIE WILLIAMS
Iziah Santiago delivered a two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the seventh as the top-seeded Harmony Longhorns (14-11) advanced to the Class 7A, District 9 championship baseball game with a hard-fought 4-3 win over Celebration.
The Longhorns game-winning rally started with two outs and the bases empty. Yathniel Matos was hit by a pitch, Sam Castillo walked then Santiago delivered a soft liner over shortstop for the game-winner.
“I really thought we came out a little tight tonight and may have been playing not to lose instead of playing to win,” Harmony coach Heath Williams said. “But at the end of the day, our pitchers made the pitches we had to have and we did enough at the plate to win. This time of year, it’s all about finding a way to win and advance.”
Celebration controlled the game early. Alejandro Moreno opened the game with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice and scored on Sebastian Rivera’s RBI single. Although Storm starting pitcher Santiago Gonzalez was keeping the Harmony bats in check, Celebration failed to build on the lead as they stranded three men in scoring position in the first three innings.
Harmony knotted the game in the fifth. With two outs, Ashton Magorrian doubled in the right centerfield gap. Nate O’Neil reached on an infield single, but Magorrian never stopped on the play and scored from second to tie the game, 1-1.
“Ashton has some wheels, so there was no hesitation in sending him,” Williams noted. “A slower runner would have gotten the stop sign but when I saw the fielder throw to first, we were sending him.”
Harmony took a 3-1 lead in the seventh. Castillo singled and Santiago’s sacrifice bunt was thrown away to put runners at second and third. A Cody Bergeron wild pitch plated the first run and Clayton Williams’ RBI single brought home the Longhorn’s third run.
Still, the Storm were not done. Magorrian quickly retired the first two batters he faced in the top of the seventh, but Moreno and David Sevilla each delivered sharp singles to right. Rivera then slammed a doubled into the right-centerfield gap to tie the score. Magorrian issued an intentional walk to Hernandez, before getting Ciro Yanez to foul out to first to end the threat.
“Proud of the way we fought back in the end. We had some opportunities to build a bigger lead early and didn’t take advantage of it. Still our guys never gave up,” Storm coach Ed Kuzma said. “Alejandro Moreno was a JV player at best this fall and became a .400 hitter. He keyed the comeback and David Sevlla and Sebastian Rivera also delivered. These guys are starting to figure it out and they will be back next year.”
With the win, Harmony will host Osceola (11-11) on Thursday night for the district championship. The Kowboys needed an 11th inning Riley Carpenter RBI single to survive a 5-4 affair with Tohopekaliga to advance to the district final.
In other action involving county teams, St. Cloud (15-10) will play for the Class 6A, District 8 championship on Thursday after defeating Melbourne, 9-7, in a game that went 10 innings. Josh Bejarano had a couple of hits and two RBI for the Bulldogs; while Sebastian Echeverry picked up the win in relief. Liberty, who defeated Gateway 3-1 on Monday night to advance to the semifinals of the District 5A-7 tournament, saw its season come to end with a 17-2 loss to Sebring.
In district softball action, Harmony (11-9) advanced to the 7A-10 championship game with a 15-0 win over Poinciana. Lindsey Green homered and drove in three runs; while Emerson Alsan had two hits and four RBI. The Longhorns will host Osceola (13-10) at 6 p.m. Thursday for the district title. The Lady Kowboys dispatched Tohopekaliga, 10-6, as freshman Faith Ferrer went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored; while fellow freshman Yeidi Rosa doubled twice and scored three runs.
St. Cloud (13-13) will play Boone at Lake Nona for the 7A-9 championship following their 10-2 win over Cypress Creek on Tuesday. Addison Felblinger homered, doubled, drove in five runs and struck out 11.
BASEBALL DISTRICT PLAY SCHEDULE
Monday, April 29
Celebration 3, Poinciana 1 (7A, D9)
Liberty 3, Gateway 1 (5A, D7)
Tuesday, April 30
Harmony 4, Celebration 3 (7A, D9)
Osceola 5, Tohopekaliga 4 (11 innings). (7A, D9)
St. Cloud 9, Melbourne 7 (10 innings) (6A, D8)
Sebring 17, Liberty 2 (4 innings) (5A, D7)
Thursday, May 2
7A, District 9 Championship Osceola at Harmony, 6 p.m.
6A, District 8 Championship Game at USSSA Sports Complex, St. Cloud at Viera, 6 p.m.
SOFTBALL DISTRICT PLAY SCHEDULE
Monday, April 29
Poinciana 16, Celebration 1 (7A, D10)\
Liberty 14, Gateway 4 (5A, D6)
Tuesday, April 30
Harmony 15, Poinciana 0 (4 Innings) (7A, D10)
Osceola 10, Tohopekaliga 6. (7A, D 10)
St. Cloud 10, Cypress Creek 2 (7A, D9)
Auburndale 22, Liberty 1 (4 innings) (5A, D7)
Thursday, May 2
7A, District 10 Championship: Osceola at Harmony, 6 p.m.
7A, District 9 Championship at Lake Nona: St. Cloud vs. Boone, 6 p.m.
