By: J. Daniel Pearson
Jadiel Perez and Angel Medina each drove in two runs in a decisive third inning, as the Harmony Longhorns held on for a 6-5 win over a resilient St. Cloud Bulldogs team in an FHSAA Class 7A, Region 3 playoff game Friday night.
With the win, the Longhorns (16-10) move on to the regional semifinals for a third consecutive year, where they will open a best-of-three series with top-seeded Vero Beach (20-4) on Friday. St. Cloud, who began this season with a 13-game winning streak, saw its season end at 18-6.
“Tonight was a real gut-check for our team.” Harmony coach Heath Williams added. “One thing I noticed about these guys is that when things are not going our way, we always seem to stay focused and not panic. Trust me, there was plenty of opportunity to do both tonight. We simply kept our composure did what we had to do to win.”
Trailing 1-0, the Longhorns sent nine men to bat in the third inning – plating five runs. Shawn Brabant opened the inning with a walk and Jose Scrofani delivered a sharp single to center before Jayden Perez loaded the bases with a perfect bunt down the third base line. Jadiel Perez then delivered his two-run single, Medina cleared the bases with a triple and would later score on Sebastian Thames’ RBI single.
Harmony would extend the lead to 6-1 on the fourth, as Jayden Perez tripled and came around to score when St. Cloud’s relay throw went into the Longhorns dugout.
But the night was truly nothing but offensive frustration for St. Cloud.
From the middle of second inning until the end of the fifth, St. Cloud collected three hits, seven walks and two-hit batsman but only managed to scratch one additional run against Harmony starter Trevin Bean and reliever Jaxon Kraubetz.
The Bulldogs were able to finally break through in the sixth. With two outs, LC Alcarez walked, and Sam Quijada, Jose Alvarez and Hudson Gowan all delivered hits to make it a 6-5 game. With the tying run on second, however, relief pitcher Raul Romay struck out Nathan Bianco to end the threat.
In the top of the seventh, Gage Rutledge almost tied the game with a deep fly ball to right-center that was caught at the warning track. With two outs, St. Cloud put the tying run on when Landon Roe was hit by a pitch, but Alden Lewis popped out to short to end the game.
“We certainly had our chances to win,” St. Cloud coach David Blackmore said. “It seemed all night long, we had opportunities to put crooked numbers on the board with just one more hit. Earlier in the season we were getting those two-out hits but not tonight.”
Things will only get harder for the Bulldogs when they face Vero. “Once the playoffs start, nothing is easy and next week will be no exception,” Longhorns coach Heath Williams said. “They (Vero) are very solid team, with a really good pitching staff. Under the new format, the top seed hosts all three games, so we have our work cut out for us.”
Still both coaches took something positive out of the game.
St. Cloud, who started the season the season with 13 straight wins, finished with 18 victories, their most in more than a decade. “It’s not how we wanted to end the season, but I am really proud of these guys. I feel bad for the seniors, but we have a really young team that lost a ton of senior leadership from last year and were still able to put together a really good season. We certainly have something to build off from here,” Blackmore said.
For Harmony, they continued their dominance over county opposition. In addition to a third win in four games against rival St. Cloud this season, the Longhorns have won three straight OBC championships, three consecutive district crowns and have advanced to the regional semifinals for a third straight year. Since the start of the 2024 season, Harmony is 24-2 against county opposition.
In other baseball action involving Osceola County teams, Tohopekaliga — the region’s number seven seed — was locked in a scoreless dual with second-seeded Park Vista but gave up two runs in the sixth – falling 2-0 and seeing their season end with a 12-9 record.
En Español 🇪🇸
Harmony Resiste la Remontada de St. Cloud y Avanza con Victoria 6-5 en los Playoffs de la Región 3
Jadiel Perez y Angel Medina impulsaron dos carreras cada uno en una decisiva tercera entrada, guiando a los Harmony Longhorns a una victoria de 6-5 sobre un aguerrido equipo de St. Cloud en un juego de playoffs de la Región 3, Clase 7A de la FHSAA el viernes por la noche.
Harmony anotó cinco carreras en la tercera entrada para tomar el control del juego y amplió la ventaja a 6-1 en la cuarta antes de que St. Cloud reaccionara. Los Bulldogs armaron un rally con dos outs en la sexta entrada para acercarse a una carrera y colocar la del empate en posición de anotar, pero el pitcheo de Harmony respondió en los momentos clave para asegurar el triunfo.
Con la victoria, Harmony (16-10) avanza a las semifinales regionales por tercer año consecutivo y se enfrentará al primer sembrado Vero Beach (20-4) en una serie al mejor de tres. St. Cloud finaliza la temporada con marca de 18-6 tras un sólido inicio.
Em Português 🇧🇷
Harmony Segura Reação do St. Cloud e Avança com Vitória por 6-5 nos Playoffs da Região 3
Jadiel Perez e Angel Medina impulsionaram duas corridas cada um em um decisivo terceiro inning, levando o Harmony Longhorns a uma vitória por 6-5 sobre um resiliente time do St. Cloud nos playoffs da Região 3, Classe 7A da FHSAA na sexta-feira à noite.
O Harmony anotou cinco corridas no terceiro inning para assumir o controle da partida e ampliou a vantagem para 6-1 no quarto, antes da reação do St. Cloud. Os Bulldogs reagiram no sexto inning com um rally de dois outs, diminuindo a diferença para uma corrida e colocando a do empate em posição de anotar, mas o arremesso do Harmony conseguiu as eliminações decisivas para garantir a vitória.
Com o resultado, o Harmony (16-10) avança às semifinais regionais pelo terceiro ano consecutivo e enfrentará o cabeça de chave Vero Beach (20-4) em uma série melhor de três. O St. Cloud encerra a temporada com campanha de 18-6.
