Benjamin Handcuffed In Loss To University School

Benjamin’s Bennett Sousa singles in the fourth inning.

University School manager Eddie Tisdale feels as though his team has one of the top pitching staffs in the area. He knows that they all have good stuff, and he likes that they are confident and believe in themselves.

On Wednesday night the Suns helped show why Tisdale has so much confidence in them, as University’s pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts on the way to 5-1 comeback win over Benjamin in an HSBN Preseason Challenge contest played at North Broward Prep.

While it was the Suns’ bats that came alive late with a four-run fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie, it was without question that this victory was forged by the boys on the mound.

“Our goal is to control the tempo of the game,” Tisdale said. “We have a great pitching coach who works hard with the guys who have the talent and ability to control the game. It trickles down from the pitchers to our catcher and then to our fielders. Our fielders have a lot of confidence playing behind them.”

Right-hander Shane Wise helped set the tone, striking out seven of the nine batters he faced in his three innings of work. Lefty Freddy Sultan spelled Wise, and was equally efficient in picking up six strikeouts in three innings. Sultan pounded 38 strikes out of his 52 pitches wile holding the Buccaneers scoreless before giving way to Cole Goldstein, who tossed a perfect seventh to end it.

“Offensively we struggled and had a lot of strikeouts, and that’s unusual for us,” Benjamin manager Brian Kaplan said. “You can make the point of it being early in the season, but there were a lot of strikeouts looking. If we want to get our timing down we have to swing the bat.”

The Buccaneers started the contest aggressively against the tough righty Wise, as center fielder Kody Ruedecili drew a leadoff walk and then stole second to put himself in scoring position. Two batters later, Matt Harris delivered an RBI single to put Benjamin up 1-0.

Benjamin’s Kody Ruedicili works a leadoff walk before coming in to score the Buccaneers’ only run.

But the Bucs scattered just four hits the rest of the way, with a pair of them coming from Daylen Sparks, who was 2-for-3.

University notched it at one apiece in the bottom of the third, as Adam Sinkoe found a hole in the right side of the infield defense for a leadoff single that sparked the offense. Daniel Epstein hit into a fielder’s choice to erase Sinkoe at second, and then promptly swiped the bag for himself.

Epstein displayed his baserunning ability by advancing to third when Sebastian Diaz fouled out to right field. Andrew Denis came to the plate and drilled the first pitch he saw down the first baseline and past the diving fielder for an RBI single.

The Suns threatened by putting a pair of runners on in the bottom of the fourth, as Evan Klugerman walked and Carl Chafetz singled with two outs. Kyle Ruedicili dove out and snared a hard shot off the bat of Sinkoe to preserve the tie.

But in the fifth University finally broke through.

Coming to bat from the top of the lineup, the Suns’ first three hitters all singled to load the bases. Again it was Denis, this time taking a small hit for a big result as he laid a perfect bunt down the third baseline. The third baseman was forced to rush in an attempt to make the play, which resulted in the ball getting away from him to allow Daniel Epstein to cross the plate with the deciding run.

University padded that lead with three more runs to close the scoring.

“Our pitchers battled and our defense looked sharp on the routine plays, but we struggled with the bunt plays and we had a pitch out that didn’t go our way too,” Kaplan said. “When we’re in these one-run games we have to do a better job at these things.”

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