Moesker Leads Trinity To Close Victory Over Boca Raton

Richard Moesker tossed a strong complete-game performance to lead Trinity Christian to the 4-2 victory Wednesday.

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Richard Moesker is the Warriors go-to guy.

Coming off a tough loss to St. Brendan, Trinity Christian took the field at Pompano Four Fields Wednesday morning in the Hall of Fame Classic looking to bounce back with a more complete team effort. With Moesker taking the mound for the squad, they were confident and excited to lean on their ace leader. Trinity Manager Miguel Cuello knows they count on Moesker, and they appreciate that he can handle that responsibility.

The right-hander again proved up to task against Boca Raton, going the distance to lead the way in a 4-2 victory.

Moesker featured a fastball in the low nineties, which he complimented with impressive offspeed offerings that he was able to control roughly ten miles per hour lower. The senior pounded the strike zone with 64 of his 94 total pitches, working ahead in the count and keeping the batters guessing. He allowed just three hits, issued no walks and struck out 14 in all.

“I was doing my thing and doing all my mechanics the way my pitching coach told me and keep the ball low, push with your right foot and go to the middle,” Moesker said. “Everything has to be perfect to go to the middle and spot the ball. I stayed back with the curveball and you’ve got to do everything the same as your fastball.”

Moesker was perfect the first time through the lineup, and also struck out the side in the second and third inning as part of a stretch where he struck out eight in a row. Able to locate his blazing fastball low and to the spots, he also found success mixing his curveball and a lethal changeup that left batters off balance.

“We came on the good part, and we needed that after yesterday’s loss,” said Coach Cuello, while admitting the close contest was played very tough and clean on both sides of the field. “It was really like that for both teams. In a game like that with a low score, you have a few key hits and the pitcher doing well and you have no errors, you can take it all right. We count on Richard, and he made a few mistakes on some pitches and they got a good bat on it, but you have to tip your hat to that. After that he always comes back the same way he was, and he was what you call outstanding today. He had a good game.”

Brian Merritts jogs around third base after tying the game with a two-run home run in the fourth.

Mike Amditis broke up the perfect game in the fourth, as Moesker left a breaking ball up in the zone and the Bobcats catcher smacked it deep to centerfield for a double. Philip Santiago came on as a courtesy runner, and no sooner had he taken over the spot at first did he get to trot around the bags. Left fielder Brian Merritts guessed correctly that the first thing he was going to see was a fastball, and he jumped on it with a solid swing that drove the ball deep to left for a two-run home run that tied things at two runs apiece.

“Brian Merritts, he’s been solid for us and he’s battling through some injuries right now,” said Bobcats Manager Scott Morrison. “He hopped on a fastball and crushed it and got us back into it and tied it there in the fourth. But we let up two more and weren’t able to come back. Their guy threw real well, and struck out I think 14 of us. He’s definitely one of the better arms out here. We didn’t do a really good job of making adjustments, but you have to tip your cap to a guy like that.”

Moesker bounced back quickly from the shock of seeing the Bobcats (8-6) pounce right back into it after being held down just prior. The right-hander retired the next nine in a row to keep Trinity right where they needed to be for the victory.

“It was good. It was a home run. But I stayed positive and came back,” said Moesker. “I just said come on guys we need a run, let’s get a run and come back. And boom, boom boom, they did. Then it was my game to finish.”

The Warriors (10-3) answered right back to retake the lead for the winning runs in the top of the fifth. Edmond Americaan drove a single to left field and then advanced from first to third on some smart base running as Byron Murray poked a single into left. That solid running kept going when Murray jumpstarted a double steal by breaking for second and drawing a throw that allowed Americaan to swipe home for the winning run.

Braxton Stowe added an insurance run when he ripped a single off a diving infielder’s glove to send the ball ricocheting away to allow Murray to race around third and across the plate. Stowe also helped to start things up in the fourth, as he drew a leadoff walk and advanced from first to third on a single from Rilleyson Ignacio. Stephan Vidal then sent him home by doing his job and driving a ball deep for a sacrifice flyout.

Trinity opened with a bang to jump ahead right out of the gate. Bruce Martin worked a walk and then put his speed to good use by racing all the way around to score after Americaan laced an RBI triple when he drove a 2-2 offering deep to left field.

It was the sort of production the Warriors had been searching for of late. Cuello drew up a new lineup for Wednesday’s contest, working some backups onto the field to start and mixing things up with personnel and responsibilities.

Bobcats first baseman TJ Tamaccio shags an infield fly ball.

“A few starters have not been hitting, and when you mix it up you give the opportunity to the other kid to shine,” Cuello explained. “The starter gets to see that they might stay here if they don’t figure it out. I am not afraid to give the other kid a chance; that is part of how we’ve been able to be successful here. I don’t care if you are a senior and the other kid is a sophomore. If you both hit the same way I may go that way. That’s how we grow. You need to show me that you want to play everyday. In the end, we may need to give these other guys at bats anyway. We may need them at the end and then they can prove in that dugout that they can do it.”

Another player who proved himself on this day was Bobcats starter Austin Schultz, who was making his first start of the season as he works his way back from an injury. The right-hander pitched five solid innings before a rising pitch count ended his day. Schultz allowed five hits and the four earned runs, and he walked two while striking out six.

“For his first start of the year I thought he did very well, and he went five innings strong and got out of a lot of tough jams,” said Coach Morrison. “He grew up today getting out of those and now we’re excited with him moving forward and being a big part of this staff as we head down the home stretch.”

Reliever Dalton Senger closed out the final two frames for Boca, allowing just one base runner on a walk to Martin and striking out a pair on 29 total pitches.

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