Park Vista Falls to Columbus In Heavyweight Showdown

Austin Smith and the Cobras battled punch for punch for the Explorers in Wednesday’s 8A state semifinal.

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When a team lays everything on the line, there is nothing to feel regret about it. Playing in an incredible battle against Columbus, Park Vista left the playing field Wednesday night knowing it had done all it could to earn the victory.

With two of South Florida’s strongest programs dueling for the right to advance to the Class 8A championship, it was Columbus who landed just enough blows to emerge with a hard-earned 5-4 victory in a state semifinal at jetBlue Park in Fort Myers. The Explorers (26-5) move on to play for a chance at their second state championship, having won it all back in 2003. Meanwhile, a veteran group of players now get set to embark on the next chapters in their lives.

“Just coming here was very tough for us, and we had a huge target on our backs,” senior Matthew Mika said. “Every team that we played was great and they gave us a huge battle. I am just happy I got to spend my high school career with the boys that I played baseball with since I was eight years old. It’s been a pleasure. I can’t thank the guys and the coaches enough, the family and friends who come out to support us. I just want to say thanks to all of them. Even though we fell short I love my team, I love my coaches and I am just happy that we had another chance to make it right this time.”

Things came right down to the wire in the top of the seventh inning, after Park Vista put the tying run on second base thanks to a double from Jordan Poore. Columbus reliever Matt Marini dug in to record two strikeouts for the final two outs that ended the game and earned the big Explorers ace the biggest victory of his high school career.

“It was a tough game like we expected, both teams battled all the way and we came up one run short at the end,” Park vista Manager Larry Greenstein said. “We had a few opportunities but that is the way the game goes sometimes. We always believe we can come back and win. We came close, but just not close enough. I am just proud of these guys for battling, and it was two great years in a row with these guys.”

It was a contest that featured two electric hurlers in Park Vista ace Austin Smith and Columbus workhorse Christopher Coipel. While the general expectations were that the game would likely be a low-scoring contest, instead both offenses found plenty of success to turn it into a slugfest. The two squads combined for 19 hits, with runners reaching base in nearly every frame.

Just moments before the scheduled start of the game, the stadium’s lightning detector sounded and forced a lengthy delay to the first pitch. After waiting three hours for the weather to clear, both teams admitted it was a struggle for the pitchers to get warmed back up and find their groove.

“Once you get warmed up it is kind of a struggle to get hot again,” Smith explained. “Coming off the delay, there are no excuses and we both had to deal with it. It just throws your mentality off. I just tried to let them hit the ball and know I have a great defense behind me.”

The Cobras (28-3) got things started right out of the chute. Matthew Mika led off with a double off the Green Monster and then stole third base to get within ninety feet of putting his team on the scoreboard. Dakota Julylia and Joe Genord both walked to load the bases, and Smith lined an RBI single through the left side to easily send Mika home for the 1-0 advantage.

Columbus erupted offensively in the bottom of the first inning to erase a 1-0 deficit and take a commanding three-run lead. But Park Vista was not ready to go down so easily. The club kept chipping away to answer back, scoring in each of the next two frames to pull within 4-3.

Nyle Newland got it going in the second with a gap-shot between center and right field for a leadoff single. Mika walked and Dakota Julylia singled to right field to load the bases. Colin Smith sent a shot into the outfield, and Newland scored after the fielder was unable to secure the catch.

“Coming into this game I knew everyone was going to be needed,” Mika said. “I have been struggling lately, but this break that we had helped me get mentally prepared and physically prepared. I just tried to go out there and I was looking for that fastball. I just kept my head down and tried to drive it.”

In the third Smith led off with a blast deep to center that fell for a double. Courtesy-runner Brandon Sharpe came in to run for the pitcher, and Jordan Poore let him put those legs to work with a single to center that brought Sharpe around to score.

Columbus added the deciding run in the fourth to go up 5-3, but Smith and the Cobras responded again in the fifth. The pitcher connected for another double on a shot to center, this time giving way to courtesy-runner Michael Razzo. A ground out to the right side from Poore pushed Razzo to third, and a wild pitch allowed him to come home and again pull the Cobras within a run.

In the end, Park Vista was just unable to find that last bit of magic it needed to take things one step further. As it all came to an end, the players and coaches reflected on all they have accomplished and how much their team means to them. Both captains Mika and Smith referred to the teammates that they feel are like brothers, and how Coach Greenstein is like a second father to them.

“They are obviously a great team and that is why they are here. It was just a battle out there,” Smith said. “We really got to enjoy this ride with our family. My team is like my brothers to me and I appreciate everything that they do for me. It was an awesome ride.”

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