Three-run homer leads Archbishop McCarthy softball past Miami Springs in regional play

With her team having struggled for a good portion of the night against Miami Springs pitcher Mallory Mitnick, Archbishop McCarthy center fielder Bella Chenet stepped to the plate with two on and two outs in the top of the sixth with one thing on her mind.

“She had been trying to get ahead in the count all night so the first pitch you get from her was sometimes the best one,” said Chenet. “I got what I wanted and caught it perfect.”

Chenet hit a towering drive over the left fielder’s head for a three-run homer to break open what had been up to that point a tight 2-1 game, giving her Mavericks a 5-1 lead as McCarthy went on to defeat Springs 6-1 in a Region 4-6A quarterfinal contest on Wednesday night at Virginia Gardens Field.

The win improved the team’s record to 20-4 but unfortunately the Mavericks will have an enormous hurdle to clear next week when they travel to take on long-time district nemesis and defending state champion Plantation American Heritage in a regional semifinal on Wednesday. The Patriots mercy-ruled McCarthy in both meetings this year including last week’s district final.

“Next week will be a challenge for sure but we’re just glad we made it through this one tonight to at least have the opportunity next week,” said McCarthy coach Bill Thompson. “The Springs pitcher she was really tough all game long because she had been coming at us with a rise ball that we were chasing. But eventually we caught up to that in the sixth and stopped swinging at the high ones and Bella came through in a big moment.”

With nobody on and two outs in the sixth, it appeared Mitnick was cruising when all of a sudden McCarthy put on a barrage with six straight hits. Alyssa Confessore and Gabby Daratany had back-to-back singles before Chenet came through with her three-run shot. That was followed with three more singles by Alexa Vorachek, Taylor Brown and Noelle Hartung to bring in another run and complete the scoring.

Hartung also had a 2-RBI double in the third that staked her team to a 2-0 lead. Confessore went the distance on the mound giving up three hits while striking out seven.

BRADDOCK STUNS COLUMBUS

Every year there always seems to be one baseball team that falls victim to the upset bug in district semifinal season-ending loss and unfortunately for the Columbus Explorers, they were the victims this year.

That following a stunning 3-2 Braddock victory over the top-seeded Explorers on Tuesday night on Columbus’ home field in a District 15-9A semifinal.

It mattered little that the No. 4 seeded Bulldogs had finished 2-6 in district play in the regular season, 10-11 overall and lost to Columbus twice.

When it counted most, Braddock delivered thanks to a terrific pitching effort from Carlos Calunga who held Columbus (21-4) to just three hits. Meanwhile, Columbus starter Nicholas Regalado struggled, yielding two hits, three walks and two hit batters over the course of the first three innings.

Braddock, thanks mainly to a big bases-loaded two-RBI single from Angel Torres, scored all three of its runs in the third inning to go up 3-1, chasing Regalado. Jonathan Gonzalez replaced Regalado and was brilliant, allowing just one baserunner (hit batter) the rest of the way but the Explorers needed two runs to tie and could only muster up one the rest of the way.

One other No. 1 seed also fell to a No. 4 when Coral Reef, thanks to a brilliant complete game shutout by Peter Larzabal, upset Southridge 5-0 in a District 16-9A semi. Brent Cosculluela (2-3, 2R), Michael Ogden (2-3, R), Shawn Perez 1-4, 3 RBI) and Sean Londono (3-3) came through at the plate for the Barracudas.

BASEBALL

▪ District 15-9A semi: Southwest 3, Ferguson 2: WP - Amaury Villalba 2 R (0 ER), 5 H, 0 BB; Matthew Fernandez game-winning RBI; Eddie Sierra HR; Jordan Worley RBI sac fly; SW 14-9.

▪ Killian 2, Palmetto 0: WP - Luis Sanabria (8-1) CG, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB; Ernesto Medina 2-2, 2 2B, RBI, R; David Pereira 2-4, 2B, RBI.

▪ Belen 2, TERRA 1: WP Alejandro Morales; Alejandro Torres 6 IP, 6 K, 1 R; Lou DeGoti 2-4, GW RBI; Dorian Gonzalez 1-3, 2B, RBI; Gabe DeZendegui 1-1, GW run; Gio Cueto 2-3, 2B; Armando Albert 2 sacs; BB; BEL: 21-4

▪ Doral 2, Sunset 0: Luis Espinal 5 2/3 IP, 7 K, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 R; also went 1-3 with an RBI; Matthew Corpas 1-3, RBI; Xavier Montana, 1-3; Adrian Figueroa 1-3.

SOFTBALL

▪ Region 3-9A quarterfinals: Monarch d. Cypress Bay 11-8; West Broward d. Stoneman Douglas 5-0.

▪ Region 4-9A quarterfinal - Coral Gables 16, Krop 0: WP - Angelina Bonilla (7-6) perfect game, 5 Ks, also went 2-3 with a 2B, 3 RBI, 2 SB and 2 R; Rebecca Rodriguez 1-2, 2 RBI, 3 R, 2 SB; Vicoria Alfaro 1-2, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R; CG: 17-10.

▪ Region 4-9A quarterfinal - Palmetto 18, Ferguson 0: WP - Latricia Richardson (9-3); Katie Burge 3-3, 2B, 3B, 4 R, 4 RBI; Lauren Margolis 2-3, 2B, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI; Madison Ferreira 2-3, 2B, 6 RBI; PAL: 21-5.

▪ More Region 4-9A quarterfinals: American d. Coral Park 20-10; Coral Reef d. Braddock 15-0.

▪ Region 4-8A quarterfinal: St. Thomas Aquinas 7, Coral Glades 0: WP - Kaitlin King; Meagan Patterson 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Chelsea Brown, 1-2, 2 RBI.

▪ More Region 4-8A quarterfinals: Cooper City d. Westland Hialeah 15-0; Nova d. Mater Academy 9-7.

▪ Region 4-7A quarterfinal: Doral 18, South Broward 0: Alyssa Zabala and KC Machado combined one-hitter, 8 K; DOR: 20-4

▪ Region 4-7A quarterfinal: Pembroke Pines Charter d. TERRA 15-0.

This story was originally published May 9, 2019 at 12:22 AM.