Heritage Delray Outlasts Heritage Plantation 6-4

When American Heritage-Delray and American Heritage-Plantation meet, one can usually expect a well-played game, with the two teams battling it out for bragging rights. On Tuesday, fans were treated to the third straight year of the two Heritage teams facing off, and this time, unlike the previous two, Heritage-Delray was able to come away with a victory.

Riding a five-run fifth inning, the Stallions were able to stave off a furious Patriots rally in the top of the seventh, and held on for a 6-4 win.

“It’s really big,” said Stallions Manager Carm Mazza. “The past two years, both games were tough losses. To come back here this year and play a little bit better, and do what we had to do to win, and play our game, was nice.”

Heritage-Plantation has had to play the past couple of weeks with increased scrutiny, as their bats had suddenly gone silent. Tuesday night was more of the same, with Stallions starter Dylan Gordon and eventual winning pitcher Anthony Hotujec combining to strikeout 12 Patriots batters. It was a theme that Manager Bruce Aven has seen enough this season.

“We have athletes on this team,” said Aven. “For whatever reason, they just are not getting the job done. If we were having quality at-bats, I could live with that. But to be hitting like we are and no adjustments being made, that is not how this game is played.”

Heritage-Plantation had an opportunity in the first inning to relieve some of that offensive pressure. Their first three batters, Alec Acosta, Chase Reyes, and Milton Ramos all reached base. Unfortunately for the Patriots, only Acosta would score, as they stranded the first three of nine total runners on the night.

“We had our chance in the first, and we just didn’t get the job done,” said Aven.

The Stallions, meanwhile, were having a similar difficult time figuring out Patriots starter Patrick Mitchell, putting up only one run through the first four frames.

In the fifth, the Stallions finally broke through, sending nine batters to the plate, and scoring five times. Lucius Fox and Chris Canavan each singled to lead off the inning. That brought Jonathan India to the plate. When India fouled back a pitch that appeared to be in his wheelhouse, it looked as though he may have missed his opportunity to impact the game.

“I was sitting fastball, and I got it, but I just missed it and fouled it back,’ said India. “I knew I had to refocus and make an adjustment.”

On his second chance of the at-bat, he did not miss, driving a curveball out of the park to left for a three-run home run. Suddenly the Stallions had a 4-1 lead.

“I was just saying the inning before in the field that maybe I would hit one out and give my team the lead,” said India. “I’m glad I was able to do that.”

The Stallions tacked on two more, and suddenly a tight game had turned into a 6-1 Heritage-Delray lead.

During the inning, several key defensive mistakes, coupled with a few at-bats in the sixth, led Aven to make some changes. The Patriots skipper pulled several of his starters out of the game.

“It was time to send a message that going through the motions and not being focused or making adjustments is not going to be accepted,” said Aven. “I knew I was putting some young guys in, but they need to get some experience too.”

Aven’s clear frustration may have lit a fire under the Patriots. In the seventh, with the game looking grim, Heritage-Plantation began to rally.

Myles Moran was hit by a pitch to start the inning. After a strikeout, Reyes and Ramos delivered back-to-back singles, with Ramos’ plating the Patriots second run. David Villar then followed with a two-run double, and suddenly the deficit was cut to 6-4. After a second strikeout, Jacob Bino and Tristan Wicox were both hit by pitches, loading the bases and putting the tying run on second.

Hotujec was able to regain his composure and strike out the final Patriots batter, securing the 6-4 win. During the at-bat a controversial second strike was called, much to the dismay of Aven.

“We got a couple of bad calls I thought, but that is the way baseball goes, when you are playing bad, and not doing what you are supposed to, those calls tend to go against you. That’s the Baseball Gods,” Aven said.

For the Stallions, it was a big win after two years of heartache versus the Patriots. But with a chance to clinch the top seed in the district against St. Andrew’s on Wednesday, the team quickly turned the page on this one.

“We will enjoy this one tonight, but when we wake up and go to school tomorrow, we will start preparing for tomorrow’s game,” said Fox. “This was a big win, and hopefully we can carry the momentum into tomorrow and take care of business again.”

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