Summit Christian Pounds Four Home Runs In 13-2 Win Over Champagnat

Summit’s Scott Murphy playfully hops to the plate to celebrate following his two-run home run in the second inning.

With the 2013 regular season rapidly approaching, Summit Christian manager John Drouin challenged his hitters to have a better offensive approach by swinging at better pitches.

In Thursday’s HSBN Preseason Challenge matinee against Champagnat, the Saints batters responded by connecting for four home runs on their way to a 13-2 victory, in a contest played at North Broward Prep.

Besides the longballs, Coach Drouin was equally pleased that his guys were able to draw seven walks, with three of those batters coming around to score.

“A walk is as good as a hit,” Drouin said. “The great teams at Oklahoma State averaged around nine runs for ten years because they hit and walked. That’s the name of the game – to get on base. Hopefully this carries over into next week.”

In the team’s last action before entering the gauntlet that is the Santaluces Slam Tournament next week, Summit wasted little time in jumping out with five runs in the top of the first inning.

Leadoff man Brandon Swass walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Dakota Julyia. Then Ephrain Sanchez was hit by a pitch and Colin Smith reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Swass at third.

Senior Jesse Barton, who transferred to the school this year from Glades Day, then delivered a towering drive to left field for the team’s first home run and a 3-0 lead.

After Zach Lawrence singled to center field to extend the inning, sophomore outfielder Damian Haser found the sweet spot on a pitch and drove it high over the center field fence to push the Saints’ lead to 5-0.

Summit’s Jesse Barton squares up before connecting for a three-run home run in the top of the first inning.

“After we got an early lead I made sure to get everybody into the game in the second and third innings,” Drouin said. “That’s what it’s all about; just getting some work in. It was a good outing and I was happy with the performance.”

Haser added an RBI double in the third, and was brought in himself when Scott Murphy crushed a two-run home run to centerfield.

Swass added a three-run homer to right field in the top of the fourth.

Trailing 9-0, the Lions showed their mettle by grinding out a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. Alejandro Vitre took the first pitch he saw in the fourth and slapped it through the right side of the defense. Shortstop Christian Sanchez then crushed the ball to deep centerfield, depositing the ball just over the head of Barton for a standup double. Two batters later, Guillermo Fonseca hit a bouncer to third base, which brought Vitre in when the fielder chose to throw to first base. Sanchez was also able to come around and cross home when the throw went wild.

“The team did not stop fighting and we still scored two off of them,” Lions coach Enrique Avila said. “We are a team of mostly freshmen, so they were a little intimidated by their 11 seniors.”

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