Suncoast Comes Up Short 4-1 In 5A Regional Semifinal

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Archbishop McCarthy moved one step closer to the 5A Final Four on Friday night, as they scored early, then held off several Suncoast rallies, to defeat the Chargers 4-1.

The Mavericks have been one of the top two teams, along with the Douglas Eagles, all year in the HSBN Broward Power Rankings, and on Friday they had on display the characteristics that have given them their success.

Senior Andrew Ildefonso took the ball for McCarthy, and gave up only one run in his 6.1 innings of work. Ildefonso was not as sharp as he had been most of the season, allowing four walks, but only three hits.

Despite the baserunners, the senior was able to limit the damage, using several big defensive plays to work out of jams. He closed the day only allowing one unearned run.

“We spoke after the game and I told the team, Andrew, I didn’t think had his best stuff tonight,” said McCarthy Manager Aaron Vorachek. “But he kept going out inning after inning and stepping up with big pitches when we needed them. That is the sign of a good pitcher when they can not have their best stuff, and still find a way to dig down and get it done for their team. It was a gutsy performance.”

Junior Brady King was on the mound for the Chargers, and he had a similar outing to Ildefonso. King worked out of several jams, with the Mavericks having baserrunners on in almost every inning. Each time, however, King limited the damage.

In the bottom of the second, the Mavericks took a 1-0 lead.

The next inning, the Mavs would pad their lead when Vinny Capone hit a two-RBI double to left, scoring Greg Caban and Nicolas Gutierrez-Villa.

In the fourth, Suncoast would put two runners on, but Ildefonso again wiggled out of trouble.

“We were in the game, and had a couple opportunities tonight that we just weren’t able to take advantage of,” said Suncoast Manager Jimmy Beno. “Even being down, our guys never gave up, and that really is an extension of what this team has been all year.”

The Chargers won 20 games and a regional game for the first time in school history, and despite the loss, Beno expressed gratitude for what his team accomplished.

“Our hats off to Archbishop McCarthy, they were the better team tonight. As for our season, I couldn’t be any prouder of our boys. We are a very young team, and I think the future is extremely bright. Games like this one tonight, will really help our boys be that much better next year.”

While the Chargers season comes to an end, the Mavericks are moving on to the regional championship game, and coming to visit in that game will be longtime rival American Heritage, who defeated Pembroke Pines Charter 3-2 in the other semifinal.

“You always look at potential match-ups down the road, and it couldn’t be any more fitting than for it to be us and Heritage for a chance to go to states,” said Vorachek. “We know the atmosphere is going to be electric, and the stands are going to be packed, like they are always when these two teams meet. I am excited, I am sure everyone on both sides are excited, for Tuesday.”

Since Vorachek took over the McCarthy program, he has yet to defeat the Patriots, in either the regular season, or the postseason. He is hoping his current squad can be the team that breaks through.

The Mavericks are looking to head back to states for the second time in the past three years.

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