King’s Academy Breaks Even In Preseason Challenge

King’s Academy experienced the full spectrum of baseball emotions this week. After beating Chaminade-Madonna in the first game of the HSBN Broward / Palm Beach Preseason Challenge earlier in the week, the Lions were brought back to Earth by North Broward Prep on Wednesday night. King’s 10-0 loss was a reminder that this team is going to be a work in progress.

“This was a big contrast to our first game on Monday night,” said King’s head coach Doug Magaw. “We know we have a young staff after our ace Matt, and that really came to light tonight….We walked too many guys, and we didn’t drive runs in when we had the chance. We just forgot the fundamentals of the game tonight.”

Casey Kopec, a North Broward Prep player on the Eagles state semi-final team last year, led by example in the 2012 preseason opener. Kopec went three innings, giving up only one hit, while striking out five in the Eagles 10-0 win over King’s Academy. The game featured two teams that advanced into the regional playoffs last year.

NBP was led offensively by Hernando Sierra. The Eagles right-fielder went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles. He may have had a third extra base hit, but King’s center-fielder John Carpenter tracked down Sierra’s deep drive in the fourth. The offensive output from Sierra was enough to impress Eagles head coach Brian Campbell.

“Hernando swung it well,” said Campbell. “He’s been swinging it well in practice, so I was anxious to see him in a game situation, and that was good to see. Hopefully, we can build on that, and he can be a big hitter in this lineup for us.”

NBP received offense from throughout their lineup on this night, and much of that offense was a product of patience at the plate. After a dominating performance from their ace, Matt Pisciottano, on Monday, King’s pitchers struggled finding the strike zone against NBP.

The Eagles capitalized on their opportunities by executing the fundamentals that King’s Academy was lacking this night. A sacrifice bunt by Anthony Valeo in the first, and a sacrifice fly from second baseman Kevin Thomas in the fifth helped NBP produce runs. In the end, the aggressive base-running and timely hitting paid off for the Eagles. Kopec credits the coaches with getting the young players ready to follow in the large footprints that last year’s team has left.

“Us seniors that were here last year, we have to show these young guys what it takes. We also know we have to step up ourselves, and teach these young guys how to step up. It’s not as easy as it was last season, but our coaches have come in and actually taught the younger players how to play, and they play hard. I like what I see.”

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