Dwyer Outlasts Wellington 2-1 in 8A-9 Quarterfinal

Dwyer ace Cheyne Bickel pitched a complete game, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out eight.

Cheyne Bickel went the distance, striking out eight and allowing one run, and Hunter Hope hit the winning two-run home run in the fifth inning as the Dwyer Panthers topped the Wellington Wolverines 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the 8A-9 district tournament.

The teams split their regular-season meetings, and although those games were dominated by the offenses, the theme of this game was pitching, as the starting pitcher for both sides pitched a complete game.

Dwyer’s Cheyne Bickel and Wellington’s Nick Lawrence combined for 17 strikeouts on the night as each pitcher tried to one-up the other.

Bickel earned eight of those strikeouts while allowing only one walk and six hits.

Lawrence struck out nine while only allowing one walk and four hits.

“It was a fantastic baseball game and fun to be a part of,” Wellington Manager Scott Riddle said. ” What’s going to win baseball games, especially in the post season, is a dominant pitching performance, a great defensive game, and someone getting that big hit.”

Each team did all three of those things on the night. It was how both teams manufactured those hits that ended up being the difference in the game.

Bickel got into some trouble in the second, allowing two runners on before striking out the side. He then started off the third by allowing a lead-off double to Wolverine’s center fielder Brad Riddle.

First baseman Jake Summey laid down a well-executed sacrifice bunt to advance Riddle to third for the first out of the inning. After a quick pop out to the first baseman in foul territory, Bickel got into a battle with Wellington shortstop Michael Cusenza. Cusenza won the battle, hitting a single and driving in Riddle to put the first runs of the night on the board.

For Dwyer (12-12) all it took was one pitch to take the lead.

The Panthers had been struggling at the plate for most of the night, and in the fourth they had been unable to cash in on a bases-loaded opportunity with only one.

But their luck changed around in the fifth.

After two quick outs, Dwyer catcher Shane Olive hit a single to right field to keep the inning alive. That brought up Hunter Hope, who took a pitch in the zone and hammered it to deep center.

It was Hope’s ninth home run of the year and arguably his biggest, as it sent Dwyer to the district semifinals and a rematch with the top-seeded Jupiter Wolverines.

Nick Lawrence pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out nine

“I just told myself to stay relaxed,” Hope said. “Shane Olive came over and said to me to stay relaxed and that I was going to get a hanging curve ball and hit it out, so I just listened to him.”

The loss marks the end of the season for Wellington (14-12) and while they were eliminated in the first round, Coach Riddle’s team had more wins this year than last, just one of the positives to take out of the season.

“I think we are moving in the right track and we won six or seven more games than last year, which is a good thing,” Riddle said. “We are better; but we still aren’t where we need to be. If we are going to compete with the Jupiter, Dwyer, and Gardens’ of the world then we have to get better. We need to make sure they are working hard and stay focused and I think we have a group that can come back next year and compete.”

Dwyer now moves on to face the rival Warriors (19-3). The two teams split their regular-season series, with the Panthers handing Jupiter their only district loss of the season.

Dwyer Manager Frank Torre knows that his team has what it takes to do it again.

“It’s huge for our guys’ confidence knowing that we beat them and put up 15 hits on them and we aren’t over-matched by them. We are going in confident and exactly where we want to be. They are a great team and we are happy to have a crack at them,” Torre said.

The district tournament will now move to Lilac Field at Palm Beach Gardens High, where the host Gators will take on Palm Beach Central tonight. Dwyer and Jupiter will square off on Wednesday night, and the winners of the two semifinal match-ups will meet on Friday night for the championship.

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