Dramatic last-inning rally propels West Broward baseball team past Columbus
Pressure? What pressure?
The West Broward baseball team has shown throughout this season it can handle being in the tightest of spots.
But Friday afternoon, the stakes were much higher.
Just moments earlier, the Bobcats surrendered three runs to Miami Columbus and were down to their final three outs facing that much of a deficit.
Still, there was no panic in the West Broward dugout.
And after four clutch hits, and a speedy effort by senior shortstop Alejandro Sardinas to beat out a double play on a fielder’s choice, tied the game at 6, it was up to sophomore third baseman Isaiah Del Valle to complete the comeback.
Del Valle delivered, looping a ball to left center field that dropped and allowed courtesy runner Michael Manocchio to score and lift host West Broward to a thrilling 7-6 walk-off victory over Columbus in a Region 4-7A semifinal.
West Broward (23-5-1) advanced to its first regional final since 2012 and second ever in program history. The Bobcats now face another major challenge as they will travel to Parkland to take on three-time reigning state and national champion Douglas (23-5) on Monday night in the regional final at 6 p.m.
“I was looking (for a) fastball and I wanted to drive it the other way, maybe for a double in the gap, and I got my pitch and took care of it,” Del Valle said. “Our seniors made sure to fire us up. I feel like our team wants it more than anybody. People doubted us and we’re showing them up right now.”
Del Valle’s poise exemplified West Broward’s overall approach to what can often be a nerve-wracking situation.
The Bobcats have played in 11 games decided by one run this season and four more decided by two runs. With Friday’s win, West Broward improved to 9-1 this season in one-run games.
“All year we’ve played playoff baseball. We don’t quit,” West Broward coach Howard Stein said. “Our numbers aren’t as good as some teams. We have only two seniors, but we scrap.”
Columbus (20-7) returned its full roster three days after having 18 players suspended for its 3-2 win over Western in the regional quarterfinals. The suspensions levied by the FHSAA stemmed from an on-field confrontation between the Explorers and Braddock where several players left the dugout following a collision at home plate in their district championship game the week before.
The Explorers rallied from an early 3-0 deficit with three runs in the fifth and took the lead in the top of the seventh when Franklin Francisco belted a two-out double down the right field line to score Zahir Barjam. Jose Correa then drove in Francisco with a single and Rene Ramirez followed with an RBI double.
But West Broward had an answer.
Ethan Lindor, Adrian Bermudez and Jason Wachs, who hit a two-run home run in the first inning, opened the seventh with consecutive singles to cut the deficit to 6-4. That prompted Columbus coach Joe Weber to replace right-hander Matthew Paez with lefty Jack Muniz, who induced a grounder to short by Sardinas. But Sardinas made it to first on a close play, setting up runners at the corners with one out. Manuel Sarcos then dropped a long fly ball just inside the left field line for a game-tying double to score courtesy runner Carlos Paneque and Sardinas.
“They swung the bats and got the hits there,” Columbus coach Joe Weber said. “I thought we had them on that double play call, but I give West Broward credit, they never quit and kept swinging the bats and got clutch hits. We went to three guys hoping one of them had it and went 0 for 3 with that. I thought we played as hard as we could play. We just couldn’t get those final two outs. No shot clock in baseball.”
Weber brought in righty Danny Castillo to try and shut the door. After intentionally walking Ivan Sabater to face Del Valle, he allowed the game-winning single.
“These are all sophomores. Wachs got a big hit. Sardinas’ play to beat the double play was monstrous. We have sharks that don’t quit,” Stein said. “That’s one of the few times we’ve given up a three-spot in an inning, but we don’t quit. This is huge for our program and these kids.”
