Boca Raton Evens The Score With A 1-0 Victory Against Rival West Boca

Boca Raton’s Mike Smicklas was 1-for-3 with a double as the Bobcats won 1-0 on Senior Night.

As far as rivalries are concerned, they can’t get much closer than this.

Host Boca Raton narrowly edged local city rival West Boca 1-0 on a clutch RBI double from Jake Spooner on Wednesday night at Florida Atlantic University.

The victory serves as payback after the Bobcats (9-15) fell to the Bulls by the same score earlier this season.

For the senior Spooner, the hit could not have come at a better time, as he has endured a prolonged hitting slump and the team was also celebrating its Senior Night. Much like had been the case through many games this season, the Bobcats just needed someone to come up with a defining play.

“I needed that hit. I literally got the piano off of my back,” Spooner said. “It’s the most unbelievable feeling, and I will remember this for the rest of my life.”

Spooner got the start at third base for Senior Night, after helping the team by filling a hole in the outfield for most of the season. He admitted that playing back at his normal, natural position helped him to stay focused and have better at-bats against the Bulls (14-10).

The move paid off for the Bobcats, as Spooner initiated a 5-6-3 double play to end the game.

“I had good at bats tonight, and I felt a lot more focused,” Spooner said. “The double play to end the game was just icing on the cake. The seniors as a while just wanted somebody to step up, and I got to be the one to come through.”

With two outs in the sixth inning in a scoreless game, Dakotah Radabaugh drew a walk to extend the inning and bring Spooner to the plate.

The senior third baseman got a hold of a pitch and sent it deep to center field, and Boca coach Jeff Rosa did not hesitate to signal for Radabaugh to try for home.

“I just wanted him to get a single, but Jake came up with a gapper and then I was signaling home all the way,” Rosa said. “For him to come up with a big hit for us is great. We had a chance in every inning and we have not been getting contributions from our older guys. We have to capitalize when we have our chances, like we did tonight.”

West Boca catcher Michael Barash connects for a double.

For both teams, numerous scoring opportunities were squandered away as a result of poor execution.

The Bobcats stranded six runners in all, and the Bulls also left six base runners on.

“We can’t win tight games if we don’t do the little things,” West Boca coach Nick Siano said. “The seniors have got to step up and do something. They have to do it themselves and make the adjustments. Gabel gave us a chance to win tonight, but the offense has been too streaky.”

Sophomore Sean Gabel got the start for West Boca, pitching five solid innings while scattering five hits and two walks and recording three strikeouts.

Across the way, Bobcats starter Peter Rantz was equally impressive in also throwing five shutout innings. Rantz allowed four hits and two walks and finished with four strikeouts.

Junior Chris Sheehan earned the victory, after coming on to close out the final two frames and recording two strikeouts. After the Bulls Griffin Cornwell reached base for the third time on an error in the top of the seventh, Sheehan notched a strikeout and then induced the double play to close out the win.

Cornwell was 2-for-3, and Boca’s Sean Gallagher was also 2-for-3.

Leave a comment using your facebook account!