In just its third season, Riviera Prep baseball is 14-1; plus more preps results
Riviera Prep baseball is having a good season under the direction of Coach Emilio Fernandez, and his son, Eric, is a big reason why.
In just their third season, the Bulldogs are 14-1, 10-0 in the South Florida Baseball Conference. The conference is also comprised of Doctor’s Charter, Everglades Prep, Marathon, Miami Country Day, Palmer Trinity, Ransom Everglades, and Somerset South.
What Riviera Prep lacks in quantity (number of players), it makes up in quality.
Eric, a sophomore, is a 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher/shortstop and a 2023 MLB prospect. He is 2-0 with two saves, a 0.60 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings pitched. He is among the county leaders in batting average (.654), RBI, runs, stolen bases, OBP, doubles, slugging percentage and home runs.
One player does not a team make. Senior right-handed pitcher/middle infielder Luis Angarita is also leading Riviera Prep. He is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched. Heading to NCAA Division II Salem University in West Virginia, he carries a .480 batting average.
Coach Fernandez was a 5-10 left-handed hitting third baseman for Southwest High School. He made first team Miami Herald All-Dade in 1993. He coached the Florida Bombers 18U travel team, which helped produce 29 players who competed at the MLB level.
Coach Fernandez started the Riviera Prep baseball program from scratch in 2019. The Bulldogs went 13-10 in its inaugural season. They lost 2-1 to Archbishop Carroll in the first round of the district tournament.
Last season went better as Riviera Prep was 7-2, 5-0 in the conference, before the Covid shutdown.
The Bulldogs are in a tough district in Class 2A, competing with Archbishop Carroll, Brito, Champagnat, and Miami Christian.
This season Riviera Prep edged Ransom Everglades 5-4, beat Dade Christian twice, Everglades Prep twice, Palmer Trinity twice, Somerset South twice, Doctor’s Charter, Marathon, Miami Country Day, North Miami Beach, and Westwood Christian. The Bulldogs lone loss occurred against Killian.
Junior centerfielder Nick Flowers has belted six home runs to power the Bulldogs, and his older brother, senior third baseman/pitcher DJ Flowers, is a solid hitter batting around .590. Sophomore catcher Marc Quarrie bats second on the line-up card, hitting around .400.
“I always pointed to this year as the year we would have a chance to be pretty strong,” Coach Fernandez said. “Obviously you don’t anticipate starting the season 12-0. We’re a small school and not very deep [depth wise], but we can field a pretty good starting nine.”
More baseball
Braddock 9, Southridge 4: WP Carlos Colunga; Victor Davila 1-2, HR, R, 2 RBI; Ozzie Martinez 2-2, 3B, R, 3 RBI; Jonathan Gonzalez 2-3, 2B, R.
Softball
Lourdes 18, Braddock 10: WP Kelsey Perdomo (2-2) 5 K; Gabi Ullivarri 3-4, 2B, 3B, 2 SB, 4 R, 3 RBI; Mia Bermudez 2-2, 2B, 3B; Adriana Perez 2-5, 2 SB; Isabella Astudillo 4-5, 3 R.
Palmer Trinity 5, SLAM 4: Caroline Zamek walk-off RBI single scoring Megan Keller to win it. WP Emme Fundora 9 IP, 10 K. PT (6-1).
Palmetto 13, Krop 0: WP Alexis Ortega (2-0); LP Jenna Upalak; Ortega 5 IP, 0 R, 6 K; Daniela David 3-3, 2B, 2 Runs, 3 RBI; Isabella Martinez 2-2, 2B, Sac Fly, 2 R, 2 RBI; Ana Mendieta 2-2, R, 2 RBI. PLM (10-2).
Hialeah 17, Miami Beach 2.
Badminton
Keys Gate 6, Coral Reef 4: Mixed Doubles No.2 KIM ABRAHANTES and RICARDO LOPEZ WON 17-21, 21-14, 21- 17 to clinch the victory.
Girls No.1 SINGLES: ELISHA MORALES WON 21-10, 18-21, 21-10. Girls No.2 singles DEJAHLEEN CRUZ WON 17-21, 21-15, 21-21-14.
Boys No.2 singles CASEY KATSORIS WON 21-5, 21-15. Boys No.2 doubles KYLE CUMMINS and COLTON MIRANDA WON 21-3, 21-7.
Girls No.2 doubles ELENA WATKINS and ISABELLA POZOS WON 21-16, 21-17.
Girls’ Track & Field
Miami Beach 37, Hialeah Gardens 28, Mourning 8: Liya Simoni (MB) 1st in Long Jump, 100, 200. HG (5-5).
Boys’ Track & Field
Hialeah Gardens 68.5, Miami Beach 61, Mourning 41.5, Cutler Bay 5: Marcos Fernandez (HG) 1st in 100, 4x100 Relay, 4x400 Relay. HG (12-0).
Girls’ lacrosse
American Heritage 22, Boca Raton-Spanish River 9: Jordyn McCullough 21 draw controls, 7 goals, 3 assists; Nicole Buchan 10 goalie saves; Lola Mancuso 4 goals, 5 assists; Kaitlyn Chmelir 6 goals, 1 assist; Laura Mikkelsen 2 goals, 2 saves; Courtney Lesser 3 goals; Valeria Fernandez-Boidi 1 assist.
Boys’ volleyball
Cardinal Gibbons d. St. Thomas Aquinas 26-24, 25-12, 25-12: JC Minor 10 kills, 6 blocks, 6 digs, 4 srv pts, 1 ace.
iMater Charter d. Mater Academy 25-22 26-24 25-16: Senior Jordan Chevalier 6 aces, 8 kills, 25 assists, 6 digs; Senior Jose Avila 1 ace, 5 kills, 13 assists, 5 digs; Junior Roberto Esteban 2 aces, 6 kills, 2 blocks, 1 dig; Senior Gabriel Davila-Campos 5 aces, 1 assist, 16 digs; Junior Eduardo Hernandez 6 aces, 14 kills, 1 block, 17 digs; Senior Marlon Medina 4 kills 1 block, 4 digs; 7th Grader Jacob Savitz 1 kill.
All-County Fall Teams
The Miami Herald All County teams for Fall sports are in the Sports section of the Miami Herald website.
Submit varsity game results
For high schools in Broward and Miami Dade counties, if you have varsity game results for this column, email hssports@miamiherald.com. Varsity only.
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Roundup compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 10:03 PM.
