Resurgent Westminster Christian baseball team advances to regional semifinals
It hasn’t been a typical year for Westminster Christian baseball.
But that’s what happens when you set the bar as high as the Warriors have over the years with 11 state championships.
The Warriors, state runners-up last season, just barely made the playoffs as a No. 7 seed in Region 4-2A.
But if this week is any indication, Westminster Christian is flipping the switch on at the perfect time.
Already boosted by a solid pitching staff, the Warriors bats came alive this week and carried them to a 2-1 series victory in a best-of-3 Region 4-2A quarterfinal series over No. 2-seed Chaminade-Madonna.
After dropping the first game 1-0 at Chaminade on Monday, the Warriors clinched it with a convincing 7-2 victory in the decisive third game on Thursday on their home field just two days after breaking out for a 13-1 victory in Game 2 at Chaminade.
Westminster (17-11-1) will still be on the road next week when it takes on No. 6 seed St. Andrews in Boca Raton in another best-of-3 series which starts Monday afternoon and continues Tuesday. If it went three games, the third game would again be played at Westminster next Thursday afternoon.
Senior James Suarez led the Warriors on Thursday, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI while Gabriel Mejia went 2-for-4 for Westminster.
Chaminade (24-5) opened the series with junior ace Spencer Krasner dealing a three-hitter and striking out nine. The Warriors found themselves in a 1-1 tie in the second game until they scored six runs in the fifth and six more in the seventh to even things and clinch a return trip home for the finale. Sophomore Max Boyer went 2-for-3 with a grand slam in that game while Austin Weigandt and Eric Eikenberg each had two hits and two RBI.
On Thursday, Westminster broke through in the bottom of the second with three runs, highlighted by junior Bryan Borges’ two-run single, which scored junior Juan Godoy and junior Lucas Argudin and put the Warriors ahead 3-0.
Suarez started the game for Westminster, but ran into some trouble in the top of the third when he gave up a solo homer to Jake Carruthers and walked Trace Zalman. Suarez, who struck out four and walked five, was replaced by senior Milan Porras, who pitched the Warriors out of the jam and finished out the game. Porras gave up one run on four hits over 4 ⅓ innings and struck out three.
Weigandt added some insurance for Westminster later in the game, driving in two runs on a double in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
MORE RESULTS
▪ Region 4-4A quarterfinal - Game 3 - Belen Jesuit 1, Melbourne Eau Gallie 0 (10): David Garrido’s single scored Julian Alber for the only run of the game and secured the Wolverines (14-15) a walk-off victory on Thursday night at Belen. The Wolverines advance to the regional semifinals where they will play a best-of-3 series at Merritt Island starting Monday. Victor Escobar and Max Aspuru combined to pitch 10 shutout innings for Belen and each struck out six.
▪ Region 4-3A quarterfinal - Game 3 - Killian 3, Pine Crest 1: Zach Fernandez pitched six innings, allowing one unearned run on four hits and four walks and struck out three to help the Cougars (14-13) clinch the series and advance to the regional semifinals for the first time since 2019. Kendry Blanco went 2-for-3 and Jonathan Acosta went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Kevin Nunez also went 1-for-2 with an RBI and Julian Zeledon went 2-for-2.
▪ Region 4-2A quarterfinal - Game 3 - Boca Raton St. John Paul II 6, True North 5: Angel Garcia went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI and Mikey Cuenca went 2-for-3 with an RBI, but the Titans were unable to hang on to an early 3-0 lead and lost the decisive game of the series in Boca Raton.
▪ Region 4-7A quarterfinal - Game 2 - Douglas 6, Cypress Bay 2: A day after striking out 13 and tossing a shutout, Gio Rojas had three RBI to lead the Eagles (25-2) to the series-clinching win over the Lightning at Anthony Rizzo Field. Douglas will next host the winner of the Taravella-Western series, which ends Saturday. Michael Ossenfort went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
▪ Region 4-7A quarterfinal - Game 2- Columbus 16, Ferguson 0 (5): Jose Correa led the Explorers (26-5), going 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple and five RBI. Mario Magana went 4-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI while Maximus Alvarez went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Columbus will face the winner of the Southwest-West Broward series, which will be concluded Saturday.
▪ Region 4-6A quarterfinal - Game 2 - St. Thomas Aquinas 17, Cape Coral Ida Baker 0 (5): Jonathan Lopez led the Raiders going 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run and four RBI. Jaden Doverspike went 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and three RBI. The Raiders (23-5-1) will next host the winner of the Southridge-West Boca Raton series, which will conclude Saturday.
▪ Region 4-6A quarterfinal - Game 2 - Doral 13, Flanagan 0 (5): Gabriel Milano went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and eight RBI to lead the Firebirds (24-5-1). Aaron Elissalt and Jordan Tamargo combined on an abbreviated one-hitter, striking out a combined six batters. Doral will host Braddock in the next round in a series which will begin Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at Doral.
▪ Region 4-6A quarterfinal - Game 2 - Braddock 3, Nova 2: Marcelo Torres went 2-for-2 with a double and Brayan Martinez and Sebastian Llamozas each had an RBI to lead the host Bulldogs (20-7-1). Devin Lopez gave up two hits, walked four and struck out three over five scoreless innings.
▪ Region 4-5A quarterfinal - Game 2 - Mater Academy 11, Delray Atlantic 0: Eiker Noguera went 2-for-2 with two doubles and three RBI. Bryan Arrieta went 2-for-2 with two RBI to lead the Lions (19-9-1), who will host Pembroke Pines Charter in the next round in a series which begins Wednesday.
▪ Region 4-5A quarterfinal - Game 2 - Pembroke Pines Charter 3, Stuart South Fork 2: Brady Mongera went 3-for-4 with two doubles and Sebastian Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with three runs scored to lead the Jaguars (14-12-1) to the series sweep.
▪ Region 4-5A quarterfinal - Game 2 - Archbishop McCarthy 11, Palm Bay Heritage 1 (5): Danny Machado went 1-for-3 with a double and three RBI while Juan Cerra and Kaio Ramos each went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. The Mavericks (18-11) will next host Varela in a regional semifinal series which begins on Wednesday at McCarthy.
▪ Region 4-5A quarterfinal - Game 2 - Varela 9, Okeechobee 5: Yoidi Martinez went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Tyler Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the Vipers (18-7-2), who scored eight runs over the first two innings.
This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 10:44 AM.
