Palm Beach Gardens Falls 7-4 To Miami Columbus In Class 8A State Semifinal

J.J. Schwarz blocks the plate, but Nelson Mompierre is called safe with the Explorers’ sixth run.

After an improbable run that saw the team overcome obstacle after obstacle, it was difficult to count Palm Beach Gardens out.

But as the innings wore on and the at bats began to run out, it was clear that the magic that had carried the Gators this far was not being replicated on this night, not against this team.

Behind an offense that pounded out 11 hits and kept its foot heavy on the gas pedal, Miami Columbus cruised to a 7-4 victory over Palm Beach Gardens in an FHSAA Class 8A state semifinal played at Digital Domain Park in Port St. Lucie.

The Explorers (28-4) advance to the 8A championship at 7 p.m. tonight against Spruce Creek after the Hawks (27-4) defeated Timber Creek 8-0 in the other semifinal.

Columbus scored all the runs it needed with a big five-run third inning in which it batted around the order. It added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

“Down 5-0 you don’t feel good, but I knew we were going to battle back and we did,” Gardens coach Joe Russo said. “We got it close enough to give them a scare, but it was a tough night.”

Entering the contest, the scouting report for the Explorers revealed a team that relied more upon their pitching than their offense. But on this night, the Columbus hitters were patient, aggressive and relentless.

“They were scrappy,” Gardens junior pitcher Matt Williams said. “They kept fouling pitches off and putting balls in the corners. They were just all hard outs.”

Nick Oberg, on first after an RBI single.

The Gators (21-11) answered back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Pavin Smith reached on a one-out infield single, and advanced to second on a throwing error. Catcher J.J. Schwarz and designated hitter James Jean then drew back-to-back walks to load the bases, and Matt Williams grounded out on a fielder’s choice that pushed Smith across with the Gators’ first run.

After Joey Boyd walked to again load the bases, courtesy runner Hunter Sanicky came in to score on a wild pitch. Jean then came in on an RBI single from shortstop Nick Oberg that pulled the Gators within 5-3, chasing Columbus starter Mike Vinson from the game after only 64 pitches.

Ordinarily when a team knocks the other guys’ starter out early, it stretches the bullpen and creates greater opportunity to mount a comeback.

But against Columbus, that is not the case.

Pitching has been the team’s bread and butter all season, and it is comfortable turning to any number of live arms whenever necessary.

“That’s been our luxury all year is we’ve got five Division I guys. If one is not on one night, we have just as much confidence in each of the others,” Columbus coach Joe Weber said. “I don’t think I ever pulled Mike during an inning all season. I think he wanted to keep going, but it really wasn’t there.”

Columbus turned the game over to ace right-hander Yency Almonte, and the senior rose to the occasion by controlling the Gators hitters and shutting the door on a potential comeback. He struck out the final batter to end the fourth-inning rally. After allowing another run in the fifth when Jean Canciu tripled and then scored, Almonte tightened up and shut down the final eight batters to earn the save and send Columbus back to the state championship for the first time since losing to Tampa Alonso in the 2009 Class 6A title game.

Head coach Joe Russo meets with his infielders on the field.

For Gardens, the loss marks the fourth time the team has reached the state semifinals and been unable to advance to the championship game.

“I’m proud of the run we made,” Russo said. “They worked real hard. We just ran into a couple of tough arms tonight. That’s baseball. But I’m extremely proud of this team. It’s all positive for me, and there is really nothing negative I can say about this team. We restored the pride and tradition of our program and brought us back where we belong.”

After struggling early on this season, the Gators turned their season around with a dramatic mid-season surge that proved that this team was capable of playing with teams like the ones it faced in the state playoffs.

“At the beginning of the season, coach Russo brought us all together and told us to step it up,” Williams said. “We brought respect back to Palm Beach Gardens.”

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