Atlantic Eagles Win Their First Game of the HSBN Preseason Challenge

Starting pitcher for the Atlantic Eagles, Rigo Beltran, was hot at the plate and on the mound.

The Atlantic Eagles traveled all the way from Delray to take on Coral Springs Charter at Flanagan high school in Pembroke Pines on Wednesday night and a 9-2 victory made it worth the Eagles’ trip.

Coral Springs Charter actually started the game out with a lead after a shaky first inning by the Eagles starting pitcher Rigo Beltran. After one the score was 1-0 Charter and it might have been a tight game throughout had Beltran not quickly settle down.

Beltran went 1-2-3 in the second, third and fourth inning, after having the rough first inning when he walked his only two batters and run of the night.

“I was happy with the way I settled in in the second inning, and it was good to make some improvements every inning,” Beltran said. He ended his night striking out three of the last four batters he faced.

The currently undecided senior ended his night with 6 K’s, 2 BB’s, 2 H and only 1 ER in 4 IP. He also had two doubles batting out of the three-hole for the Eagles, which is why he took the honor for HSBN player of the game – which awards him a free HSBN Extended Profile.

Eagles coach Steven Wilson attributed the shaky first inning to the off days because of the rain, but was happy with how his pitching settled in after that.

“Our pitching did a good job, we threw strikes after the first inning,” Wilson said, “and we made the plays behind them (the pitchers).”

In the top of the second two walks, a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt that turned into a hit, an RBI sacrifice fly by third baseman Daniel Metz, and a bloop single with the infield drawn in helped the Eagles push four runs across the plate. From then on it was all Eagles.

In the third Atlantic’s Chris Brown started a rally with a single. Another single by Joey Ohannesian followed by a walk loaded the bases for Metz who again came clutch, this time with a single to drive in two runs, giving him a total of three RBI’s on the night.

“I am very pleased with what we did,” coach Wilson said, “We did the little things right, we put pressure on them and we did what we needed to do.”

Wilson acknowledges that this a long season and there is a long way to go, but he is happy with his team’s first night out in the new season.

Atlantic will face North Broward Prep in their next HSBN Preseason Challenge matchup on Friday at 7pm at American Heritage Delray.

Leave a comment using your facebook account!