By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Despite a loss in the Florida Christian Conference semifinal baseball game this week, the Heritage Christian Eagles put together their best season in recent memory.

Coach Jeremy Beaver said he refused to let his kids define their season by their last game.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” he said. “The defense didn’t come through when we needed it, but the kids kept fighting.”

The Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Trey Epperson, who reached in every plate appearance Tuesday (three walks and a single), walked, Etienne Maldonado reached on an error and Dallas Beaver singled to drive home Epperson to start the game. With one out, Beaver scored when Chris Herrador reached on an error.

Grace tied it with runs in the second and third. Heritage took the lead back when Epperson singled with two outs in the fourth to drive in Kyle Rodriguez, who walked.

Grace took a 5-3 lead in the fifth with three runs, but Heritage pulled within one on A.J. Vriarte’s RBI groundout. Grace put the game away with three runs in the top of the seventh.

The Eagles, in Beaver’s first season coaching, went from a conference bottom-dweller to the Eastern Division (9-1) champions this season. Heritage last won an FCC baseball championship in 1999.

The surge was led by the top of the lineup. Epperson (20-for-33) and Herrador (19-for-37) were both over .500 for the season. Maldonado (.463) and Tirado (.463) also contributed to a lineup that saw five players drive in 10 or more runs in 14 games.

Even better, the Eagles suited up no seniors; Epperson is one of three juniors, and Maldonado and Beaver are eighth-graders.

“I’m not discouraged, I’m encouraged,” Jeremy Beaver said. “It’s been a wonderful experience, and the school is so supportive of the program. If everybody comes back, we can be back here next year.”