Park Vista Edges Lake Worth in Walk-Off, Playoff Win

The Cobras’ Andrew Lee finished with two walks, a stolen base and the game-winng RBI single.

The Park Vista Cobras’ Andrew Lee drove in the winning run with two out in the final inning to win their first round 9A-10 semifinal over the Lake Worth Trojans Tuesday night at West Boca Park. Strong pitching and defense by both teams kept the game scoreless through five innings and the Cobras took advantage of being the home team to emerge with the victory.

Designated hitter Drew Kendall led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to center. Zack Padgett’s sacrifice bunt moved Kendall to second. One out later, Lee looped a ball beyond shortstop, too shallow to allow center-fielder Chase Ashley a chance to throw out Kendall with the winning run at home, ending the game.

A length of blue and white rope is tied above the Cobras’ dugout. a talisman of the Cobras’ rallying call. Shortstop, Padgett epitomized the Cobras’ team-first approach by referring to his own sacrifice bunt by choosing “we’ rather than “I.”

“We play for each other. We really like to stick together and hold the rope, never let go”, said the Cobras’ shortstop. “When every guy does his job, good things happen. We got the bunt down in the last inning then Andrew Lee comes through with a walk-off single. We play for each other and we play well.”

The Cobras opened the scoring in the bottom of the sixth. Hogan Townsend’s opposite field single to right bounced wildly to the right, past the onrushing fielder resulting in a two-base error and putting Townsend on third. After a attempted squeeze bunt was fouled off and a base on balls, Townsend scored on a wild pitch.

The Trojans were up to the challenge in the top of the seventh. Angel Diaz and Adea Widgy singled. The game may have turned on what happened next. David Recio singled to left, driving in Diaz, tying the game on a play where there was contact at the plate and the ball bounced away. Pitcher Marinan, backing up the play, picked up the ball and threw a 105 foot strike to third to cut down the trail runner. Instead of the go-ahead run on third with one out, the 7-2-1-5 put-out stilled the Trojans momentum. Marinan struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Scoring opportunities were scarce through out the game. The Cobras’ Ashley Chase led off the bottom of the first with a soaring ground rule double which landed in right field and bounced over the wall in foul territory. Hogan Townsend bunted him to third but Joe Kelly’s liner to short ended the inning.

The Cobras’ James Marinan went seven innings, struck out seven, picked-off a runner on third and threw out a runner at third.

The Trojans threatened in the third inning when Miller Francis was hit by a pitch and daringly went all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt by Gabe Urena, The Cobras reached deep into their playbook to make sure he went no further. Much like a left-hander can raise his leg and either deliver the pitch or throw to first, the right-handed Marinan threw to third catching the runner leaning. With the runner breaking for the plate, third baseman Patrick Skibiski relayed the throw to catcher Joe Kelly who applied the tag for the second out. Marinan recorded a strikeout to end the inning.

“Coach came out to the mound and told me, ‘This guy’s getting really big off third, let’s go after him right here'”, said Marinan. “My job is not to look at the runner, just come down with the leg, and pick him off. It’s the first time we’ve called it all season. It was a great play.”

Besides his timely pick-off at third and game-changing back-up of his catcher, Marinan went the distance, striking out seven, including five in a row over the fifth and sixth innings. He had a one-hitter through six before giving up three singles in the seventh.

Trojans’ starter, Jonathan Rodriguez also went the distance, giving up just five hits and struck out the side in order in the Cobras’ third. His manager, Bobby Gilbert reflected on the bittersweet as his team’s season came to an end, focusing on the performance of his pitcher.

“Just disappointed that we came out of here with a loss tonight,” said Gilbert. “Jonathan Rodriguez showed a lot of discipline and poise out there tonight. He commanded his pitches, throwing his curve ball repeatedly for strikes. He did an excellent, excellent job for us tonight.”

Commenting on the defensive play of the game, the Cobras’ coach gave credit to the Trojans’ Tyler Vandersande who robbed Emanuel Fernandez of extra bases in the fifth inning and to Widgy Adea who was equally intent on making the same play.

“I’ve never seen two guys going back to the warning track, running full speed, lay-out at the same time, collide and come up with the ball,” marveled the Trojans’ opposing coach. “It was one of the best catches I’ve seen.”

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