Pope Comeback Falls Short In 9-5 Loss To NBP

Dan Meyer started the game on the hill for the Eagles.

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Tuesday’s game between North Broward Prep and Pope John Paul featured two teams that were on similar paths so far this season. Each team has battled inconsistency that has led to a roller-coaster ride with their overall record. For North Broward Prep, however, Tuesday’s game served as a second straight well-played game, as it defeated Pope 9-5.

“We have been a little up and down,” said Manager Brian Campbell. “But we swung the bats real well today, and this is the second straight win, so maybe we are starting to turn things around.”

The NBP offense was on display in this one, with the batters racking up 11 hits and nine runs. Eight of the nine guys in the visitor’s lineup reached base successfully, and the eight-nine hitter combo of CJ Roth and Andres Sierra accounted for five of the team’s nine runs.

“We don’t really consider it to be a difference between the top of the lineup and the bottom,” said Roth. “For us to be successful as a team, we all have to contribute, no matter where we hit in the lineup. Everybody has to do their job. Somedays that means the top of the lineup will carry us, and other times it will mean the bottom. Today it was ll of us.”

Max Tannenbaum led the way for North Broward, going 3-for-4, with a run scored. Roth was also 3-for-4, with two runs scored, and Sierra was on base three times, scoring on each occasion.

Pope, meanwhile, had another frustrating afternoon. The hosts, in a rare scheduling situation, played their first game of the season at home, after opening with eight straight road games. Despite the atmosphere for the home opener, Pope was unable to string together anything early against NBP starter Brian Fagan.

By the time the bats started to come around in the fourth inning, Pope was looking at a 5-0 hole. A Josh Parker single, an Evan Schaffner hit-by-pitch, and RBIs by Domenic Baldino and Christian Falgons cut the lead to 5-2.

It was then that the Eagles from Broward took control of the game. In the top of the fifth, NBP sent ten batters to the plate, and scored four runs. Kevin Thomas and Anthony Masiello had hits in the frame, while Jared Schwait, Masiello, Fagan, and Sierra all added RBIs.

Cal Bocchino fields a ground ball for Pope.

“That fifth inning was big for us,” said Tannenbaum, who also had a hit during the rally. “We are starting to hit the ball pretty well. We’ve made some adjustments over the past few games, and we are getting on a roll.”

Pope rallied again in their half of the fifth, scoring twice, but that was as close as they would get on this day.

“It’s one thing to lose a game, but it’s another to come out not ready to play, and that’s what we did today,” said Pope Manager Pete Graffeo. “Even though we did some good things with the bat, the energy wasn’t there. It was not what I was expecting for our home opener. You would have liked to see a bit more focus and energy than what we gave today.”

North Broward Prep, meanwhile, played their first day game of the year, causing the team to miss pre-game batting practice for the first time. So could this become a trend before games? That depends on who is asked.

“It’s a bit weird that we didn’t take BP and hit the ball so well,” said Roth. “Who knows, maybe we will keep it going.”

His manager did not agree.

“No, no, no,” said Campbell, “Superstition is for the weak-minded. We can’t get caught up in all of that. But it was nice to see them hit the ball the way they did today.”

North Broward Prep returns to district play Thursday when they host district leading Calvary Christian in a battle for the top spot in 4A-14.

Pope will have to put this game behind them quickly with tough games to finish the week against Wellington and West Boca.

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