FORT MYERS, Fla. – Defense was the name of the game on Saturday, as IBAHS excelled in the field and took advantage of defensive miscues to defeat the EvoShield Canes-Pate 6-3 to take home the 2017 14u PG Super25 National Championship.
In a rematch of a pool play contest on Wednesday, in which the Canes held on to an 8-5 win that played a part in the two teams ending up on opposite sides of the playoff bracket, IBAHS jumped on the Canes early.
Steven Ondina blasted a one-out double to the base of the Green Monster at JetBlue Park, and he would score on an error at shortstop. With two outs, Jorge Pereira lined a single just out of the reach of the second baseman to bring in two more runs and make it a three-run first for IBAHS.
Pereira flashed the leather at second base in the bottom half of the inning on a sliding stop and throw onto first to rob Jack Howell of a hit.
The Canes got a run back in the second, as Tyler Christmas (2021, Summerville, S.C.) lined a single to right to bring in Gregory Glucas.
IBAHS would tack on three more runs in the third, with Mario Zabala (2020, San Juan, Puerto Rico) dropping an RBI single to right and another Canes’ error at shortstop resulting in two runs.
In the fifth, the Canes loaded the bases with nobody out and had a golden chance to get a big inning and get back in the game. Matt Poole’s RBI single to right marked the fourth Canes’ hitter to reach in the inning. With one out, Nick Morgan (2021, Cataula, Ga.) grounded a ball that found its way to center field scoring another run, but Zabala uncorked a perfect strike home to nail the back runner attempting to score on the play.
The strong defense behind IBAHS allowed Carlos Vincante to pound the strike zone. Vincante himself made two very nice plays on hot shots back to the mound in the second and fourth innings that ended those frames with two men on base on each occasion.
Vincante got a groundout to short to end the game and spark a spirited celebration on the pitcher’s mound.
“We practice every year for this tournament, and we really came here ready to play all week long,” IBAHS head coach Jan Luis Castro. “The boys enjoyed the tournament a lot and they made things happen out there.”
Ian Martinez (2020, Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico) took Most Valuable Pitcher honors for IBAHS, going 2-0 and striking out six over 7 1/3 innings for the week.
Zabala earned MVP honors, batting at a .444 clip (8-for-18) and stealing six bases.
Ryan Clifford (2022, Raleigh, N.C) tied for most hits in the tournament with 10, with Morgan right behind him with nine for the Canes.
2017 14u PG Super25 National Championship runner-up: EvoShield Canes-Pate
2017 14u PG Super25 National Championship MVP: Mario Zabala
2017 14u PG Super25 National Championship MV-Pitcher: Ian Martinez
