By: J. Daniel Pearson
For a second time in three playoff games against Lake Nona, Harmony’s starting pitcher failed to get out in the first inning. And for the second time in those three outings, it simply did not matter.
The Longhorns got five RBI from Clayton Williams and Jariel Perez bashed a home run to lead Harmony to a 13-3 win over Lake Nona and a sweep of their best of three series in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal.
With the win, Harmony will now host Jupiter (21-8) in a best of three regional semifinal that starts next Wednesday. Jupiter advanced to the round with a sweep of St. Cloud (10-0, 2-1) in a doubleheader yesterday. The first two games will be played at Harmony, with a third – if necessary game – slated for Jupiter on May 3.
“There is no question Jupiter is going to be a terrific challenge for us,” Harmony coach Heath Williams said. “They are a terrific team and I know they are looking to avenge last year’s loss to us in the playoffs.” In last year’s single elimination format, Harmony traveled to Jupiter and upset the highly-favored Warriors, 10-6, to reach the regional final.
In a scene similar to Harmony’s 15-6 win over Lake Nona on Apr. 17 in the district final, the Longhorn starter struggled in the first inning. Freshman Raul Romay lasted just 1/3 of an inning – giving up two hits — as Harmony fell behind 2-0. But Horns struck back early. Perez opened with a single and after back-to-back walks Jose Scrofani evened the game with a two-run single.
“Raul has pitched really well for us in relief, so we decided to give him the start tonight” Williams said of his freshman starter. ‘The pressure of starting a regional game may have got to him a little but we also didn’t do him any favors defensively. Getting those two runs back in the bottom of the inning to get him off the hook was important.”
While reliever Ismeal Rivera was shutting down the Lake Nona attack, the offense would put the game away in the third inning. Samuel Castillo opened with a double, Angel Medina walked and Scrofani reached on a bunt single. Williams delivered a two-run single and Westin Thompson followed with a single to make it 5-3.
The inning appeared to stall when relief pitcher Andres Segura made a diving catch of Nate O’Neill’s bunt attempt and turned it into a double play. Still Harmony was able to tack on four more runs thanks to a two-run single by Ashton Fayne and Perez’s towering home run to right.
Rivera, who pitched 1.2 innings of relief and picked up the save in Harmony’s 5-2 win over Lake Nona in game one, had to come out of Thursday’s game in the fourth because of mandatory pitch count rules. Rivera, who was credited with the win, worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing no hits, striking out four and walking just one.
After Lake Nona closed the gap to 9-3 with a single run in the fifth, Harmony would blow the game wide open in the bottom of the inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, Williams crashed a double to the left-center field gap to drive in three. The 10-run rule ended the game in the sixth when Scrofani drew a bases-loaded walk.
Alexavier Lebron and freshman Riley Bonini pitched the final two innings – allowing two hits and just one unearned run. The four Harmony pitchers combined on a five-hitter, striking out seven and allowing just the one earned run.
For the game, Harmony finished with 12 hits and took advantage of 12 walks. Perez had two hits and scored four runs, Scrofani had a couple of this, 3 RBI and reached base four times and Castillo reached base four times, score two runs and stole a base.
Harmony, 23-6 and winners of 10 straight, set up the sweep with their big win in game 1. Sophomore Trevin Bean pitched 5 1/3 innings of four hit ball – allowing two runs while striking out 11 – to lead the way. Medina drove in two runs and Rivera struck out two in relief to pace the Horns.
