Lakewood takes a loss from visiting Pirates
Senior Julian Jackson awaits a pitch during the Lakewood vs. Boca Ciega baseball on March 3. The Spartans lost 8-3. (TONY RENGIFO | SNN)
By ZACK EARLE
SNN Sports Editor
The Lakewood Spartans baseball team hosted a district contest against the visiting Boca Ciega Pirates Tuesday night (3/3). Lakewood was without usual starters Bo Bichette and Mauro Conde, both juniors, and the night didn’t start on a good note as the Pirates took an early lead on the Spartans. While Lakewood would get themselves on the board late, the Pirates didn’t let up and their lead was eventually too much to overcome.
The Spartans put senior Vince Iacone on the mound to start the game. Iacone and the Spartans’ defense struggled early as the Pirates put a run on the board in the top of the first inning. The runner reached base initially due to an error, and the run was unearned.
Boca Ciega increased their lead in the third inning after a triple brought in two runs, making it 3-0, and again in the fifth inning, scoring two more and running the lead up to five.
Lakewood found their offense in the bottom half of the fifth, starting with a single by junior Vinnie Grabauskas, followed by another single by junior Julian Jackson. A ball hit by junior Jaime Robles was ruled a fielder’s choice. With Grabauskas on third and Robles on first, senior Jamaal Chaney tripled, scoring both runners and cutting the lead to 5-2.
After five innings of work, Iacone was replaced on the mound by junior Marcus Bradley. After the game, Iacone said he didn’t feel good about his performance, and felt like he could’ve done better.
“It was okay,” Iacone said, “very mediocre. I have to focus on throwing more strikes.”
In the top of the sixth inning, Bradley gave up one run off a triple, making it 6-2. Despite the pitching woes, things seemed to be looking up for Bradley. In the next half inning, he connected with a pitch and sent it sailing over the left field fence for a home run. Unfortunately, the umpires ruled that Bradley had neglected to touch one of the bases after the home run, which was in turn negated.
That call, from the crowd’s reaction, seemed to be controversial, but was actually called correctly, according to Spartans head coach Jayce Ganchou.
“He missed the base,” Ganchou said. “He missed second base…they (the umpires) say he also missed first base.”
A little-known rule in baseball states that if a runner neglects to touch a base while rounding them after a home run, he is out.
“It’s a formality,” Ganchou said. “By the time he got to third I already realized it was too late, and I noticed that Bogie had seen it also and were going to appeal it.”
In the next at-bat, Iacone would double. Junior Sonny Neuman singled and – with runners on first and third - brought up another “runners on the corners” situation. Lakewood would get that revoked run back off of a wild pitch that Iacone would score on. At the end of the six, the score was 6-3.
Boca Ciega put up two more runs in their last two innings, and the Spartans would not score more than three. Lakewood would suffer a home defeat to the under-classed Boca Ciega squad. Final score: Boca Ciega 8, Lakewood 3. The loss brings the Spartans record to 6-2 on the year, 3-1 in their district.
The loss was crucial because the game was against a district opponent.
“That was an important game,” Iacone said. “We have to keep it up and do better.”
A big problem for Lakewood was the fielding mistakes that led to unearned runs.
“We gave up some unearned runs that caused them to get ahead, and that made us play catch up,” said Ganchou, who was clearly disappointed in his team’s performance.
“We weren’t very aggressive at the plate,” he said. “We out hit them 9-8, but we still didn’t hit it when it counted.”
There is somewhat of a silver lining. Ganchou said his team would be able to learn from this experience.
“We have to learn that we have to be adverse about when we have guys out of the lineup, that we have to still continue to play hard,” he said. “You can’t rely on them…two guys can’t carry a baseball team.”
The absence of Bichette and Conde, who are a large part of Lakewood’s offensive production, was felt. The three runs scored by the Spartans was their lowest total of the season. Bichette’s injury is currently unknown at the moment. Conde, who was nagged by a minor knee injury, has returned to the team.
Senior Alicia Velazquez encourages the Spartans baseball team with applause and cheers during the Lakewood vs. Boca Ciega baseball game on March 3. (TONY RENGIFO | SNN)
The Spartans stands for the national anthem at night before the Lakewood vs. Boca Ciega Baseball game on March 3. (TONY RENGIFO | SNN)