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Tohopekaliga’s Samuel Isturiz comes to the plate in the third inning to deliver an RBI single to help the Tigers to a 3-1 win over Lake Nona Friday. PHOTO/J. DANIEL PEARSON
Tohopekaliga scored all the runs they needed Friday in the third inning, and Tyler Sheffield and Ellian Urena combined on a six-hitter and as the Tigers (6-1) took a huge 3-1 baseball road win over previously undefeated Lake Nona (5-1).
“When you are trying to build a program and establish a winning culture, these are the type of games you need to win,” first-year Tigers head coach Armando Perez said. “I don’t think a lot of people expected us to go on the road and beat established programs. This was definitely a statement win for our young team.”
Lake Nona has averaged 19 wins for the last three years – advancing to regional play in all three seasons. In winning their first five games this year, they outscored opponents 48-6.
On the other hand the Tigers have had only two winning seasons in its history and its school record for wins in a season is 12. With that in mind, they definitely took a big step in the right direction Friday.
Trailing 1-0, Tohopekaliga scored three runs in the top of the third. No. 9 hitter Sebastian Aquino began the rally with a one-out single, then Doug Pena cracked a double to left and Anthony Segarra loaded the bases with a bloop single to third. Samuel Isturez brought in the first run with a sharp single to right and Fernando Ferrer knocked in a run on a fielders’ choice when Segarra scored after a throwing error.
After giving up a run in the second, Sheffield pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third. He finished his outing by striking out two batters in the fourth; allowing three hits, walking three and hitting two batters in his four innings of work.
Other than the sixth inning, where he struck out the side, Urena also had to pitch out of trouble. In the fifth, he gave up one-out single and walk. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, but Urena struck out Juan Bracho and retired Andres Segura on a fly ball to center to end the threat.
He appeared to be on cruise control after striking out the side in the sixth and fanning the leadoff hitter in the seventh. But Leonardo Suarez reached on an infield single after getting the benefit of a ball call on an 0-2 pitch, and Lorenzo Rodriguez then walked. Urena settled down to strike out Logan Inman but then walked Bracho on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases and put the potential tying and winning runs on base. But he induced Segura to ground out to short to end the game.
Urena finished the game seven strikeouts in three innings to pick up the save. Still the big key to the game was the ability of both Tohopekaliga pitchers to get out of jams; Lake Nona stranded 12 runners. Tiger pitchers came back from 3-0 or 3-1 counts to retire Lake Nona hitters four times.
“Both guys did a great job of bearing down not only with runners on base but when they got behind in the count,” Perez added. “I am really happy with how we’ve played to this point, but we have a lot of work to do to get where we want to be.”
Toho returns to action with two games next week, against Wekiva on Wednesday and Choate Rosemary High (Connecticut) on Saturday. The following week, the Tigers will be challenged by state-ranked Lake Mary on Mar. 19 and nationally-ranked Donnie Bosco Prep (New Jersey) on Sat., Mar. 23.
