Columbus rallies to reach GMAC baseball semifinals
Columbus has been recognized for its talented starting pitching this season. When its hitters get going, they aren’t too bad themselves.
On Monday night, that lineup helped the Explorers pull off their largest comeback of the season so far as they rallied to beat Goleman 12-7 in a GMAC quarterfinal at Columbus.
Columbus (18-5) overcame a five-run deficit by scoring seven in the bottom of the fifth inning to snap Goleman’s 15-game winning streak. It was the Explorers’ seventh game this season in which they have scored 10 or more runs.
Columbus will face TERRA at 1 p.m. Tuesday in a semifinal at Killian. The host Cougars will play American at 4 p.m. in the other semifinal.
Eight of Columbus’ nine starters scored a run and three players — Mike Navarette, Danny Casals and Nick Rocha — had two hits each. Navarette and Casals each had two-run triples in the fifth and sixth innings, respectivel,y as Columbus overcame a 7-2 deficit.
Goleman starter Kevin Perez, who had pitched well through the first four innings, lost his command with one out and a runner on first. Perez walked the next three batters, forcing in a run. Two more runs scored on a balk and a wild pitch. Nick Rocha then hit a two-run single to tie the score at 7. Jose Machado was hit by a pitch, giving Columbus the lead. Dominick Reyes delivered an RBI single.
In an attempt to keep its top two starting pitchers — Matt Marini and Chris Coipel — fresh for the playoffs, Weber started Nick Silva and used five different pitchers in the game. Weber said he didn’t plan on starting Marini for the GMAC tournament with the district playoffs a week away.
▪ GMAC quarterfinal — Killian 4, Miami High 1: Joey Gonzalez and Frank Follaco combined to allow only four hits and strike out five to lead the Cougars (16-7) to the victory at home.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, Killian responded with three runs in the second sparked by a double by Eddy Arteaga and a single by Keith Stevens. Ruben Trillo’s single tied the score. Ryan Granda drove in Stevens on a sacrifice fly to give Killian the lead, and Arteaga scored on an errant throw toward home from the outfield.
Stevens finished 2 for 3 with a run scored. Shortstop Freddy Zamora blasted a solo home run in the fourth to add another run.
GOL 002 230 0 – 7 12 0
COL 110 073 x – 12 9 1
WP: Jose Machado. LP: Jeremie Garcia.
▪ GMAC Semifinal — Killian 4, Miami High 1: WP:Gonzalez. LP:Aparicio. S:Follaco.Top Performers:ZamoraHR.Arteaga2B.Demurias 2B.Stevens 2-3. KIL 18-7. MIA 15-8.
▪ GMAC Semifinal — TERRA 6, Westland Hialeah 5: WP: Bartow. Top Perfomers:Millet 2-3, 2 RBI. Wylder GW H, 3B. TER 19-4.
SOFTBALL
▪ District 7A Semifinal — Reagan 11, Central 3: WP:Isaza 2-5, RBI, 5 K’s.Belen-Lella 3-5, RBI.Pardo-Figueroa 2-4.Buenaventura 3-5, RBI.
▪ District 16-5A Semifinal — Archbishop McCarthy 9, Pompano Beach 1: WP:Dimler (16-9) CG, 7 K’s. Top Performers:Corso HR, 2B, 2 RBI.Vasquez 3 H, RBI.Lopez 3 H, 2 R. AM 17-9. PB 9-11.
▪ District 14-7A Semifinal — Monarch 15, Blanche Ely 0: WP:Estroff (17-3), 3H. Top Performers: Alonzo HR.McNulty HR.Robin 3H. MON 22-3.
▪ District 15-6A Semifinal— Miami Springs 15, Mourning 0: WP:Santos (15-2) 3 IP, 0 W, H, 7 K’s; 2-2, 2B, GS, 4 RBI. Top Performers:Medina 2-2, 2 RBI.Negrin 2-2, 2 2B, 3 RBI. Turman 2-2, 2 RBI.Escoto 1-1, 2 RBI.
GIRLS’ TRACK
▪ Late Saturday, District 16-4A — Southridge 196.50, Ferguson 152, Killian 101, Coral Reef 96, South Dade 60.50, Varela 13, Sunset 7, Braddock 5, Southwest 5, Coral Park 4, Palmetto 4: 100 M Dash:Mason (SR) 11.71.200 M Dash:Mason (SR) 24.01. 400 M Dash: Johnson (SR) 58.93. 800 M Run:Gavulic (FER) 2:20.59. 1600 M Run:Hernandez (FER) 5:17.05. 3200 M Run:Hernandez (FER) 11:50.43. 100 M Hurdles:White (SR) 14.60. 300 M Hurdles:Quinn (SR) 47.26. 4x100: Southridge 47.32. 4x400: Southridge 3:59.27. 4x800: Ferguson 9:40.31. High Jump:Dames (CR) 5-06.00. Long Jump:Gibson (SR) 18-03.50. Triple Jump: Johnson (FER) 36-08.50. Shot Put:Zaldo (SR) 37-00.00. Discus Throw:Zaldo (SR) 113-05.
BOYS’ TRACK
▪ Late Saturday, District 16-4A — South Dade 152, Coral Reef 106.50, Southridge 100.50, Ferguson 85, Columbus 78,Killian 35, Sunset 23,Coral Park 21, Miami High 20, Varela 19.50, Braddock 13, Palmetto 4.50: 100 M Dash:Bootle (KIL) 10.64. 200 M Dash:Bootle (KIL) 21.75. 400 M Dash:Johnson (SR) 48.52. 800 M Run:Moultrie (CR) 1:57.15. 1600 M Run:Berryhill (CR) 4:24.10. 3200 M Run:Berryhill (CR) 9:51.67. 110 M Hurdles:Davis (SR) 14.76. 300 M Hurdles:Davis (SR) 40.17. 4x100: South Dade 42.53. 4x400: South Dade 3:26.98. 4x800: Coral Reef 8:06.33. High Jump:Reese (BRA) 5-10.00. Pole Vault:Bentley (COL) 12-00.00. Long Jump:Wiggins (SD) 22-08.00. Triple Jump:Candeau (FER) 43-02.50. Shot Put:Delabat (FER) 47-01.00. Discus Throw:Delabat (FER) 136-08.
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE
SOFTBALL
District 11-8A semifinals at Taravella: Coral Glades vs. Taravella, 5; Douglas vs. Coral Springs-Deerfield Beach winner, 7
District 12-8A semifinals at Cooper City: Western vs. Cypress Bay, 4; South Plantation vs. Cooper City, 6:30
District 13-8A semifinals at Miramar: McArthur vs. West Broward, 4:30; Flanagan vs. Miramar, 7
District 14-8A semifinals at Dr. Krop: Miami High vs. Krop, 2; Miami Beach vs. Hialeah Gardens, 4
District 15-8A semifinals at Coral Gables: Braddock vs. Southwest, 2; Coral Gables vs. Lourdes-Ferguson winner, 4
District 16-8A semifinals at Palmetto Bay Park: Coral Reef vs. South Dade, 4; Southridge vs. Palmetto, 4
District 15-7A semifinals at St. Thomas Aquinas: Nova vs. Aquinas, 5; South Broward vs. Hollywood Hills, 7
District 16-6A semifinals at Doral Academy: TERRA vs. Mater Academy, 5; Doral vs. Northwestern, 7
District 14-4A quarterfinals at Betti Stradling Park: Pine Crest vs. North Broward Prep, 4; Chaminade-Madonna vs. University School, 4
District 15-4A semifinals at Florida Christian: Mater Lakes vs. Florida Christian, 5; Monsignor Pace vs. St. Brendan, 7
District 16-4A opening round at Gulliver: Carrollton vs. Ransom Everglades, 4
District 14-3A semifinal at Westminster Academy: Coral Springs Christian vs. Highlands Christian, 4
District 16-3A semifinals at Palmetto Bay Park: Marathon vs. Archbishop Carroll, 5:30; Palmer Trinity vs. Westminster Christian, 7
District 13-2A semifinal: Boca Raton Christian at Zion Lutheran, 4
District 14-2A semifinal: Hollywood Christian at Posnack, 4
This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 10:33 PM with the headline "Columbus rallies to reach GMAC baseball semifinals."