80 Grade Scouting Notes: Alonso @ Venice Game 2 of FHSAA 7A Regional Championship
Game 2 of the FHSAA 7A Region 2 Championship had everything that you could want in a playoff matchup. The game started off as a pitchers duel as Bryan Alonso got the ball for the Ravens and cruised through 4 scoreless innings working around a few Venice hits early in the game. The Venice ace, Jackson Lucas, did what he has done his whole career by filling up the zone with a plethora of off-speed pitches keeping hitters off balance. The Troy commit, worked 5 scoreless for the Indians to start the game.
The offense for the Indians came alive in the bottom of the 5th when Nic Dunn led off with a Triple to RF. Jonathan Mauro broke the scoring drought the next AB as he drove Dunn in with a sharp single into LF.
Following a wild pitch and a Brodie Whitlock sac bunt to move over the runner over to 3B, August Backman drove in the 2nd run of the game for the Indians with an RBI Single to RF.
With their backs against the wall and facing elimination, the Ravens responded immediately as they faced the Lucas a 3rd time through the order. A walk to the 9 hole hitter and then followed by a Double by Raymond Llanes, Alonso was threatening to tie things up quickly in the top of the 6th. Coach Faulkner went to his bullpen at this point to bring in August Backman. The Ravens caught a break on Backman’s first pitch of the game as Daniel Despaine used the turf to his advantage with a high infield chopper that he beat out for an RBI infield single.
Alvin Santiago then proceeded to tie the game up with a Sac Fly to CF on the first pitch that he saw.
With the game now tied 2-2, Samuel Fernandez came up with Despaine on 1st. Fernandez proceeded to unleash on his first pitch that he saw to send the ball deep over the LF fence for an 2 run HR giving the Ravens a 4-2 lead.
Two more doubles would follow for the Ravens as they would go on to put up 5 runs in the top of the 6th. With a 3 run lead Coach Faedo turned to his trusted reliever, Marcelo Diaz Villalon, after Bryan Alonso walked the lead off hitter in the bottom half of the 6th. Diaz Villalon would cruise through the heart of the Indians lineup retiring all 6 batter he faced closing out a 5-2 victory for the Ravens to force a Game 3 in Tampa on Saturday.
