Park Vista Squeaks Out A Win Against Jupiter

Austin Smith drew the start for the Cobras.

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Baseball can be a wacky and heartbreaking game. Never has that been more apparent than on Thursday night when the Park Vista Cobras hosted the Jupiter Warriors at the West Boynton Park and Recreation Center.

On a frigid night by Floridian standards, with temperatures dipping into the low 40s, the two clubs had to battle not only each other but also the elements. Exasperating the situation was a lengthy delay with one out in the bottom of the third, caused when an errant bat struck the head of the home plate umpire. The holdup forced both starters to the bench early but pitching and defense reigned supreme through the first six and a half innings as Jupiter clawed their way to a 1-0 lead.

Then, in the bottom of the seventh, the bottom fell out for the Warriors as a series of miscues gave the Cobras two unearned runs, allowing them to escape with their third victory of the young season.

“Up until that last inning, I mean, defense was pretty awesome for both clubs,” commented Park Vista Manager Larry Greenstein. “The pitching was pretty strong for both clubs and it’s unfortunate that it came down to the end when they had a few miscues and we just, we were opportunistic, I guess. But, that was a crazy game.”

Clinging to the slim lead in the seventh, Jupiter Manager Andy Mook turned to James Reynolds to close out the game on the mound. For a while it looked as though he would get the job done. He caught the first batter looking at a breaking-ball to start of the bottom of the seventh with a strikeout. He then had Colin Smith down to his final strike before the left fielder popped a pitch straight up the chute about a mile high. Much of the Jupiter infield converged, but none were able to spot the ball in the lights, and it fell in for a single.

It was the second hit of the night for Colin, who has been off to a hot start for the Cobras and leads the team with three RBIs on the season.

Colin Smith had two hits for the Cobras and scored the tying run.

“I’ve been seeing the ball pretty well,” said the left fielder. “It’s been coming in pretty good and my visions been there so I’ve been able to put good swings on the ball.”

Colin then stole second base to put himself in scoring position for Tyler Huggins. Huggins popped out though, putting Reynolds and the Warriors within one out of the victory.

Two consecutive errors and a passed ball not only brought Colin around to score the tying run though, they also loaded the bases full of Cobras. Dakota Julylia then drew a four pitch walk to force home Newland and secure the 2-1 victory.

“Unfortunate,” said Mook about his teams heartbreaking loss. “We played such a good game and you know, one little thing that doesn’t go right and then all of a sudden it became another thing and another thing.”

Starting pitchers Mack Lemieux for the Warriors and Austin Smith for the Cobras set the tone early, each striking out the first batter that they faced.

Smith went on to allow at least one base runner in each of his three innings of work while striking out three and giving up one unearned run. Zach Johns was able to reach base against him on an error to start off the third. A single by Anthony Servideo moved Johns to second, before a sacrifice bunt by lead-off man Cody Wilson moved them both into scoring position. A passed ball then gave Johns the opportunity to race home for the Warriors only run of the night.

Meanwhile, Lemieux lasted four innings, gave up no runs and allowed just one hit, a second inning, lead-off double by Colin Smith that proved inconsequential when the Warriors’ southpaw fanned the next three batters in a row. Lemieux finished with five strikeouts, and he walked three and hit another batter with a pitch.

Both pitchers received some help from their defense along the way.

Mack Lemieux struck out five batter in four innings pitched for the Warriors.

In the second, Blake Disher opened the inning against Smith with a grounder to third base. Nyle Newland fielded the ball cleanly but the ensuing throw pulled first baseman Joey Genord off of the bag. Genord, however, was able to leap to his left, making the catch and the tag all in one motion. After Tyler Ward reached base in the next at-bat, Genord once again flashed his defensive prowess, snaring a hard hit ball by Noah Meltzer, tagging the bag, and then firing to second for a rare 3-6 double play.

In the fourth inning, Lemieux was the beneficiary of 5-4-3 double play after giving up a lead-off walk to Austin Smith.

After the third, Jordan Poore took over on the mound for Park Vista and was as impressive, if not more so, as Smith. He gave up his only hit and walk in his first inning of work, but was lights out the rest of the way, striking out six in four innings to eventually earn the win.

“Jordan Poore, I thought, threw tremendously,” said Greenstein. “He really did a great job keeping us in the ball game.”

Zac Sprankle took to the mound for Jupiter in the fifth and also was able to maintain the same level established by his predecessor, pitching two innings of no hit ball. Like Lemieux, he was also helped out by his defense. In the fifth, third baseman Johns snared a line shot off the bat of Matthew Mika then fired across the diamond to double off Mike Razzo, who had previously reached on an error. In the sixth, Reese Albert made a stumbling, underhanded catch of a sinking line-drive by Genord to save a base hit.

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