Martinez Saves Boca Christian In 4-3 Win Over Berean

Blaize McSweeney scores Boca Christian’s first run in their 4-3 victory.

Adriel Martinez seems to thrive under pressure.

He provided clutch hitting and pitching skills, and Boca Raton Christian needed both en route to a 4-3 victory over host Berean Christian Monday at Lake Lytal Park.

It was Martinez’s bloop two-run single just over the shortstop in the fourth inning that provided the winning runs. His only hit scored Dylan Sawyer, who led off with a walk, and Logan Rataiczak, who doubled.

The right-hander retired nine of 10 batters over the final three innings in relief of Rataiczak to earn the save for the Blazers.

“I’m more proud of closing the game than the hit,” said Martinez, a junior who transferred from Santaluces after the fall season. “I’d rather just close it out. It’s a team effort. It’s not all about me. The hit was just part of helping the team, and I’m happy my teammates got the win.”

Boca Christian Manager Clint Erickson made the pitching change with bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the fifth.

“I knew Logan was getting a little bit high in his pitch count, he was at about 85 (pitches),” Erickson said. “He was losing a little bit of control and so it just gave me a signal that it was too tight of a window. We couldn’t give up too much more, so I went with a pitching change to get a fresh arm on the mound.”

Martinez started the game at shortstop and he has also started a game on the mound for Boca Christian (2-3).

“I’m still trying to find his niche,” Erickson said. “I’ve had him start, I’ve had him close. He’s been solid in both, and honestly he is a better middle infielder than a pitcher. But he’s a solid pitcher. We’re working with him. We’re changing his throwing mechanics from a shortstop into a pitcher. As you can see, he’s got some pretty good velocity and when he’s got control, he’s hard to hit.”

Martinez said he can’t decide whether he likes pitching or hitting better, but he knows he prefers to be a reliever.

Adriel Martinez pitched three strong innings of relief to get the save.

“I like pressure,” Martinez said. “I work better under pressure.”

He was under pressure immediately when he came in, as the Bulldogs had cut the margin to 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth.

Malachi Kearney was hit by a pitch to start the rally. With Kearney moving on a 3-2 pitch, Kenny Hippler slapped a single to left, and both runners moved up when the left fielder bobbled the ball. Lefty Armani Zalez slapped a soft line-drive double just over the third baseman’s leap to score Kearney and Hippler.

Martinez was called in to face David Hendricks and unleashed a wild pitch on an 0-2 count that allowed Zalez to move to third. Matthew Pena’s one-out sacrifice fly plated Zalez, before Martinez shut down Berean the rest of the way to earn the save.

But it wasn’t easy. In the bottom of the seventh, Hippler singled with one out, stole second and reached third on a throwing error. However, Martinez struck out Zalez and Hendricks to end the game.

Boca Christian took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when they loaded the bases on consecutive singles by Blaize McSweeney and Michael Walsh, followed by a walk to Sawyer. Rataiczak singled to right on a 3-2 pitch to plate McSweeney, and Grant Gardiner singled to left on a 3-1 pitch to knock in Walsh.

Starter Noah Adams of Berean Christian pitched four innings and allowed all four runs.

Berean Christian starter Noah Adams took the loss, pitching four innings and giving up all four runs on seven hits. He struck out seven but walked five.

He was relieved by DJ Lawler, who gave up no hits, one walk and struck out two over the final three innings.

The Bulldogs are 0-3.

Adams, a right-hander, and Lawler, a left-hander, are Berean’s top pitchers, and the sophomores are expected to carry the load.

“At least we gave them a fight,” Berean Christian Manager Dave Lawler said. “It was a good baseball game. I was proud of their fighting and not giving up. The bottom of the order came through and had a couple of big hits.”

Berean has started slowly offensively in several games and Lawler says it has a lot to do with confidence.

“Baseball is very mental,” Lawler said. “The question was whether or not we would get a few hits and play good defense. We’re competitive if we play our game.”

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