Pitching Leads American Heritage Over Douglas

Sophomore Hunter Bowling of American Heritage-Delray didn’t allow a hit over three innings.

American Heritage manager Carm Mazza has found some pitching depth.

Hunter Bowling, Anthony Hotujec and Frankie Fernandez combined for a three-hitter to lead the Stallions over Douglas 6-1 on Thursday, the final night of the second annual HSBN Preseason Challenge.

Bowling, a left-hander, started and went three innings, striking out two and walking one. Hotujec, a right-hander, threw two innings, allowing one hit while striking out two. Fernandez, a right-hander, pitching the final two innings, allowing two hits.

“Our pitching was very positive,” said Mazza. “We sent out three young kids with no varsity experience and they did a great job. Hunter (Bowling) is a work in progress and he’s got great stuff and he did an excellent job. He struggled with his off-speed but still got the job done.

“The next guy, Anthony, did a nice job. He filled it up. He showed a couple of pitches, got outs, kept them off balance. And the last guy, Frankie, did a nice job too. He really worked off his fastball well, his two-seamer, showed his breaking ball.”

The Stallions (2-0) jumped out to a 4-0 in the third inning, keyed by a two-run single by Anfernee Seymour and a two-out, two-run double by Anthony Delaney.

American Heritage added two unearned runs in the fifth inning.

Jonathan India was hit by a pitch for the second time, and moved to second when Seymour was safe at first on an error. They moved up a base on a balk and both scored when Delaney’s two-out pop-up to the infield was dropped.

Douglas (0-2) got on the board in the seventh inning. Josh Koebel led off with a single and pinch-runner Tony Gallo, who moved to third on an errant throw on a potential double-play, scored on Zach Johnson’s sacrifice fly to right field.

Dominic DiCapprio’s line drive single to center broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the fifth. KJ Mayo added a two-out single in the sixth.

“Offensively, we didn’t show what we’re capable of,” said Douglas manager Todd Fitz-Gerald. “We had three hits, they had five, so they didn’t beat the ball all over the park. We gave ’em mistakes and they capitalized and we didn’t. But all in all, it’s preseason, you work things out and get ready for the regular season starting Monday.”

Josh Koebel singled and walked for Douglas.

The Eagles started freshman Jesus Luzardo, a left-hander who pitched three innings, and was followed by Derek Jacobs, Trevor Torres and Zack Meidnik.

“I thought he (Luzardo) had good composure, he held runners on, (but) he got a little tired at the end,” said Fitz-Gerald. “For a freshman, he showed real good competitiveness. We didn’t make some plays behind him.”
Fitz-Gerald knows his team will go through some growing pains, especially with the pitchers because he graduated 152 innings.

“We’ve got five innings of varsity experience back on the mound so we’ll figure it out,” said Fitz-Gerald. “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. So we’ll find our way. These guys, they’ll battle, we’ll compete. When we figure it out, we’ll be okay.”

Mazza used the preseason to prepare his pitching staff for a busy first week of the regular season when the Stallions have four games.

“We’ve been talking to our pitchers for two, three weeks,” said Mazza. “They better be ready. This is the same game they’ve always been playing.”

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