Palm Beach Central Thumps West Boca, Gives Ace Danciu His First Loss

Palm Beach Central’s offense was able to get to Bulls starter Parker Danciu en route to a 7-1 win.

Palm Beach Central coach Scott Benedict was understandably apprehensive before the start of Wednesday’s game against West Boca and its ace left-hander, University of Florida signee Parker Danciu.

Even though his Broncos offense has been sharp to start the season, the coach was aware that good pitching most often trumps good hitting.

The Broncos then went out and pounded 11 hits off the Bulls to run away with a 7-1 decision in the non-district contest played in Boca Raton.

It has been that kind of a season thus far for Palm Beach Central (8-1).

“We work hard at practice, and I give the kids credit for that. Good things happen to people who work hard,” Benedict said. “The kids are doing a good job of going at game-speed during practice, and it’s rolling over into the games.”

Coming off of a big victory over Park Vista this past Saturday in which the Broncos offense ignited for 12 runs against another of Palm Beach County’s top teams, they took a less-orthodox approach against the standout Danciu.

“Any time we score off Danciu is big, and we feel confident just when guys make contact,” Benedict said. “We tried to be creative tonight with hit-and-runs, bunts and slashing. You just try to get as many as you can when you can against him.”

Every starter reached base for Palm Beach Central.

“We’re on fire. It feels good and we’re coming together,” senior Brady Roberson said. “The coaches are not letting us take anybody lightly.”

The senior, who has also signed with the University of Florida, admitted that the Broncos’ practices this season have been intense to say the least.

“We go at game speed or we get yelled at and we have to run,” Roberson joked. “It has made us very tough on defense, and we have seen a lot of pitches.”

The Broncos’ Danny Hernandez was 1-for-2 with a run.

The Bulls (6-4) were coming off a tough 2-1 loss to American Heritage the previous night but were unable to match the Broncos in support of their ace Danciu, who suffered his first loss of the season to fall to 3-1.

“We came out flat tonight, and we’re not where we need to be yet,” West Boca coach Nick Siano said. “Tonight was a good test to see where we’re at. We’ve got some things to work on.”

West Boca had its chances against starter John Padrich but was unable to capitalize for that one big inning that got the team back in the game. The Bulls stranded 10 runners in all and also hit into two double plays.

Meanwhile, the Broncos got clutch hitting, particularly from the batters at the bottom of the order. Senor Shawn Murray, who took up the tail of the lineup, was 2-for-3 with three RBI and two stolen bases. His two-run single that scored Gabe Martinez and Kevin Aubry in the top of the second inning ignited the Broncos while giving them all the run support they ultimately would need.

Central added to its lead with a three-run fourth inning in which it executed an array of offensive approaches.

Martinez singled and Danny Hernandez laced a single through the gap on the defense after it was drawn in on bunt defense. Hunter Morey followed with a high slow chopper that drew the first baseman off the bag and left him with no play by the time the ball came down into his glove, which pushed Martinez across.

West Boca’s offense was productive with six hits, but the Bulls stranded 10 runners.

Aubry then reached on an infield error to load the bases, and Murray pushed Hernandez home on a fielder’s-choice groundout. Designated hitter Joe Shue capped it off with a sharp liner up the middle to send Hunter Morey in.

Shue was 2-for-4 with two RBI, a stolen base and a run, and Hunter Morey was 2-for-3.

Meanwhile, Padrich cruised along tossing four shutout innings. The junior left-hander threw 84 pitches over four and two-third innings while scattering four hits, walking four and striking out three.

The Bulls finally got to Padrich for a run in the fifth after Angelo Dovas had a leadoff single. Koby Pepia reached on a fielder’s choice groundout that retired Dovas, and Ian Tfirn singled before being retired as well on a fielder’s choice from Sean Kuchta that put runners on the corners. Pepia then came in for the Bulls’ lone run on a wild pitch.

Shawn Murray and Lance Stiles closed the final two scoreless frames to secure the victory.

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