Boca’s Smicklas Delivers Decisive Hit As Bobcats Down Spanish River

Marcus Sierra bats for the Bobcats during their 5-2 district win over Spanish River on Friday.

Before Friday’s District 8A-10 contest with Spanish River, Boca Raton coach Jeff Rosa challenged his players to have a good game that could help carry some momentum into next week.

With the Bobcats set to face American Heritage and Palm Beach Central next week, Coach Rosa knew how important it would be to reverse the team’s early-season woes. Despite the results, Boca had hung in every game this season as it always seemed to just be one hit away in several close losses.

But on this night, the Bobcats finally got that big hit that they have been waiting seemingly all season for.

With the game tied at two apiece in bottom of the fourth, sophomore Mike Smicklas delivered a crushing shot to deep right field with the bases loaded that went for a standup triple, scoring the decisive runs as the Bobcats prevailed 5-2.

“This is a big win for us and hopefully it will jump-start our season,” Smicklas said. “We were due. We’ve had our opportunities but it just hadn’t come our way. But the hit meant nothing without guys getting on base, too.”

Dakotah Radabaugh got the inning going with a standup double on a shot to the deep left-field corner. After the Sharks allowed a bunt single and a walk to load the bases, starter Luca Rispoli nearly escaped the jam by recording a strikeout and an infield pop-out.

But facing a 1-1 count, Smicklas got a hold of a fastball and drove it over the head of the right-fielder deep to the warning track for a standup triple that cleared the bases.

“Even if it was a single, we score two there,” Rosa said. “But he got it square and drove in all three for us.”

Boca’s Jake Spooner loosening up before the game.

The Bobcats (6-5) improve to 3-1 in the district, moving into second place behind Park Vista, who is 4-0.

“Of course, it is good. Any district win is good, but we still have four district games left. Anything can happen the second time around,” Rosa said. “I know the guys can get the job done if they play together.”

The Sharks (3-5, 2-2 in District 8A-10) had taken the lead in the top of the second. Bobcats starter Schaefer Shephard walked the bases loaded, and sophomore Ryan Berger laced a single to center that pushed Boomer Saraga across. Josh Bloom then also came in when a pickoff attempt to first base was thrown wild, giving Spanish River its only lead of the contest at 2-1.

Shephard earned the victory in his first start of the season, going four innings on 66 pitches. He allowed four hits and issued four walks while striking out three.

On the opposing side, Sharks starter Luca Rispoli was hampered by several costly errors. The senior went five innings on 74 pitches, surrendering five hits and two walks with one strikeout.

The Bobcats struck out only twice all evening.

“We were putting the bat on the ball and fighting off pitches,” Smicklas said.

Boca’s Ryan Kasameyer frames a pitch against Spanish River’s Luca Rispoli. Rispoli was 1-for-2 at the plate.

Boca grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Smicklas reached on a fielder’s choice and then moved into scoring position by advancing on a pair of wild pitches. Sean Gallagher then drove him in on an infield liner that went for an error as the fielder attempted to go to first base for the out and surrendered the run.

Damien Boyum evened it up in the third after reaching on an error and scoring on a wild pitch.

After taking the lead on Smicklas’ big hit, Boca’s Jake Spooner and Matt Alen combined for three scoreless innings to close it out.

Alen earned the save, striking out two in two innings of work. After allowing a leadoff single to Berger in the seventh, the senior righty responded with a strikeout and then induced a double-play groundout to end it.

The game was played at Spanish River High, but it was a home game for Boca Raton. This meant the Bobcats had last at-bats, which ultimately they did not need.

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