GMAC baseball championship game canceled
For the first time since the tournament started more than four decades ago, there will be no GMAC baseball champion in 2019.
Due to rain earlier in the day, the championship game between Columbus and Westland Hialeah, scheduled for Thursday evening at Walker Park in Hialeah, was postponed.
But things became more complicated after that.
With Westland Hialeah’s prom scheduled, Friday evening was not an option either. Then, with the district playoffs scheduled to start on Monday and coaches less than thrilled about having to use their pitchers, added to what would be a late night for Westland players on Friday, playing the game on Saturday would not work either.
GMAC Executive Dung Nguyen confirmed early Thursday evening that he had talked to both athletic directors, Chris McKeon at Columbus and Cynthia Rodriguez at Westland, who mutually agreed the game would not be able to be played. The game will officially go down as a draw and that Columbus and Westland would be considered co-champions.
“The thought process was that Walker Park could be ready to play after rain early in the day but evidently it took more rain later on and they were unable to get the field ready,” said McKeon. “By that time, it was too late to switch venues. Then you had the prom conflict on Friday and then with district playoffs starting on Monday, playing the game Saturday wasn’t going to work either.”
MORE BASEBALL
▪ Belen 16, Miami High 0: WP - Esteban Rodriguez 4 Ks; Dorian Gonzalez 2-2 HR, 5 RBI; Christian Eiroa 2-3, HR, 3 RBI; Armando Albert 3-4, 2B, 3 R; Joshua Salandy 2-3, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI; Nick Quintero 1-1, RBI; Aaron Ramirez 1-1, 2 RBI; BEL: 20-4.
▪ Doral 4, Westmintster Christian 1: WP - Adrian Figueroa 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 K, 3 H, 2 BB; Matthew Corpas 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI; Gaby Gutierrez 2-3, 2B, RBI; Ronny Medina 1-1, 2 BB, 2 R.
FLAG FOOTBALL
▪ 1A Regional semifinal — Edison 2, Booker T. Washington 0: A hard-fought defensive battle came down to just one play. That turned out to be a dropped lateral in the end zone on a punt return by Booker T. Washington. The play resulted in a two-point safety which turned out to be the only score of the game as the Red Raiders (11-2) won at Traz Powell Stadium.
Edison, which has made it to the state championship game each of the last two years only to lose to Tampa Robinson, will host either Monsignor Pace or Dillard (rained out Thursday night) in a regional final at Edision High School on Monday at 4 p.m. with a berth in the state final four on the line.
SOFTBALL
▪ District 16-7A championship - Doral 10, TERRA 0: WP - Alyssa Zabala 1 H, 11 K; Jenelle Figueroa 3 H, 3 R.
▪ District 14-9A Championship - Coral Gables 15, Coral Park 0: WP Sydney Pell(9-4) 1 H allowed, 3 K, 1-1, 3 BB, 2 RBI; Tatiana Campos 4-4, 4 RBI, 2 R; Kassandra Mendez 2-2, 2 BB, 3 RBI, 2 SB, 2 R; Rebecca Rodriguez 2-3, 3B, 2 RBI, R; CG 16-10.
COLLEGE SIGNING
Everglades High School senior Makayla McKenzie signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer at Palm Beach Atlantic University, a member of NCAA Division II and member of the Sunshine State Athletic Conference.