Jupiter Wins Battle Of Unbeatens 3-2 Over Palm Beach Gardens

Johnny McCarthy was 1-for-3 in Jupiter’s 3-2 win over District rival Palm Beach Gardens.

Back in his own playing days at the school, Jupiter Manager Andy Mook recalls what a big rivalry the team had with Palm Beach Gardens.

Some things never change.

So on a special night for the Warriors’ program, it was only fitting that the two should meet in a Goliath matchup of unbeatens as well.

In the end it was Jupiter coming away with a tough 3-2 victory in front of its home crowd, putting the perfect final touches on a night that saw the team dedicate its field after former Manager Doug Ferguson.

The Warriors (6-0) improve to 2-0 in District 8A-9, and the team has yet to lose to the Gators (5-1, 1-1) since the teams began play in this new classification last season.

“They’re a great team. We’ve got a real good team. So it’s nice to see a real dogfight,” Coach Mook said, after his team escaped with the victory after putting two runners on with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. “Both teams mirrored each other. Our guys didn’t panic and their guys didn’t panic. Maybe the advantage is that we were at home. With the home fans around it picks them up a little bit more and adds a little more fire.”

A good victory in such a tight contest was the perfect way for the Warriors to pay tribute to their former coach.

“Coach Ferguson is such a big part of this program and we definitely wanted to win it for him tonight,” Junior outfielder Kevin Fry said, after scoring the deciding run in the fourth inning. “Dedicating the field to him today was really special. I’m happy for Coach Ferg and all he did for this program. It’s a big win for us. It keeps us going and keeps us undefeated.”

Fry was 1-for-2 in the contest, drawing a walk and reaching on an error to reach base on all three attempts. He also scored twice, with the winning run coming on a two-out RBI single up the middle from Peter Sitaras.

“You have to give Jupiter credit, they got a two-out base hit late in the game to score that winning run,” Gardens Manager Joe Russo said. “We had some opportunities to score some runs a few times and we just didn’t get that big hit when we needed it. That’s baseball. I feel pretty good about how we played.”

The Gators J.J. Schwarz bats in the third inning.

The Gators pounded out eight hits and had runners on in nearly every inning.

But on this night it was the pitching that came up with the biggest plays in the most crucial moments.

Senior left-hander Scott Danek earned the win on the mound to improve to 2-0 this season, after starting the game and pitching four strong innings. Although Danek ran into some jams, he managed to limit the damage to just one run before giving way to reliever Lance Fry in the fifth inning.

Jupiter jumped on top 2-0 in the bottom of the second when Lance Fry singled and then scored on a bases-loaded error, and his twin brother Kevin followed when Kyle Vesnesky ground into a fielder’s choice.

The Gators answered back in the top of the third inning, as freshman right fielder Sendle Jean nailed a shot off the right field wall for a double and then came home when Nick Gallo reached on an infield single to cut the score to 2-1.

Gallo went 2-for-4, and also scored the Gators’ other run in fifth inning.

Lefty Pavin Smith took the loss for Gardens to go to 2-1 this year. The junior worked five full innings on 70 pitches, allowing just one earned run while scattering four hits and two walks and picking up four strikeouts.

The loss is the first for Palm Beach Gardens since last season’s state semifinal.

“It grounds you a little bit when you take a loss,” Russo said. “You know you can be beaten and it gives you more motivation to work. That’s the way it is in baseball. It’s never good to lose and none of us are happy about it. But there are positive things that will come out of it.”

Former Warriors Manager Doug Ferguson was honored prior to the game as the field was dedicated in his name.

On the reverse end, Coach Mook is challenged with the task of keeping his team from getting too confident over the team’s strong start.

“You can always get better. You can never get complacent. As soon as you let up some one passes you over and the game will pass you over,” Mook said. “If our heads get too big and we think we don’t have to keep working hard we’re going to go backwards. But these guys are believing in things and they are coming around.”

Prior to the start of the game, the team honored its former alumni while also dedicating the field to its former Manager. Doug Ferguson coached the Warriors for 21 years before stepping down prior to last season, and in that time he coached 73 college players and 13 professional baseball players.

He likes to joke that he also was only ejected from a game once in all that time.

“What can I say? It was awesome. It was just a pleasure coaching the best players in the county,” Coach Ferguson said. “I look around this field and I see all the things that were donated by special parents. It’s just a special night.”

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