Diaz’s home run helps Douglas baseball team advance to fourth consecutive state final
Stoneman Douglas’ baseball team had to deal with more adversity this season than in years past.
A five-loss season might not sound too bad for most teams.
But it is to a program that lost only four games combined over the previous three seasons and, at one point, didn’t lose for a stretch of 59 games in a row.
Responding from those setbacks prepared the Eagles for situations like the one it faced Friday at Hammond Stadium.
Nick Diaz’s towering two-run blast to left field in the bottom of the fifth gave Douglas a six-run lead and appeared to secure the outcome of its Class 7A state semifinal matchup against Vero Beach.
That was before Vero stormed back with five runs in the sixth and nearly ended the Eagles’ hopes of winning their fourth consecutive state title.
Once again Douglas showed its depth and its resilience as Bennett Gary drove in a key insurance run in the sixth and closer Luke Cherry nailed down a perfect seventh to lift the Eagles to a 9-7 victory.
“We just showed resilience. We knew that we were going to score runs,” Douglas coach Todd Fitz-Gerald said. “We really thought that we were going to hold them in check. They just fought. My hat’s off to them. They took pitches. They were aggressive at the plate. At the end of the day, we’re moving on, and that’s what’s important.”
The Eagles (25-5) have won 112 of 121 games over four seasons. Although its streak of three consecutive national championships is seemingly over, Douglas will try to become the second team in state history - joining Fort Lauderdale Archbishop McCarthy - to win four state titles in a row when it takes on Windermere at 5 p.m. on Saturday in the 7A final.
Vero Beach struck first for two runs in the first off Eagles starter Gavin Gargiulo before Douglas responded in the bottom half when leadoff hitter and UCF commit Alex Rodriguez singled, NC State commit Devin Fitz-Gerald doubled and Rodriguez scored on an RBI groundout by USF commit Niko Benestad two batters later.
The Eagles tacked on three more in the second, two more in the third and two more on Diaz’s blast, which was a no-doubter inside the left field foul pole.
“I thought I was going to get a heater,” Diaz said. “Got it. Waited on it. Crushed it. Yeah, I knew it was gone. It gives good energy. It gives good energy to the team.”
Diaz, a junior who is committed to Georgia, thought at first he was getting the signal to bunt and run from Fitz-Gerald at third base.
It was the complete opposite.
And Diaz delivered.
“I’m like, ‘No, swing!’” Fitz-Gerald said. “That was huge. A big momentum lift there. It’s a big confidence [boost] for him, too. I’ve been telling him all year: ‘You’re 6-5. You don’t get paid to hit the ball on the ground. I want you to get the ball in the air.’ ”
Douglas’ pitching was then put to the test, however, as an equally resilient Vero Beach finally wore down reliever Breylynn Courtney, who relieved Gargiulo after allowing one hit and issuing four walks over three innings. Courtney was strong for two innings, but gave up four in the sixth and Vero scored another off Brayden McCluskey.
Cherry faced the minimum in the seventh and struck out two to pick up the save.
“I just knew that they needed me and Gavin, Breylynn and Brayden were cheering me on and I did what I needed to do,” Cherry said.
This story was originally published May 18, 2024 at 7:44 AM.
