Flanagan Cruises 5-1 Over CS Charter In Playoff Tuneup For Both Teams

The thing that separates great high school baseball teams from the rest of the pack is the ability to win a game in many different ways. For the Flanagan Falcons, winning has come this year on the strength of hitting and pitching. On Tuesday, the Falcons showed they can win a game with their defense as well.

Last night, Flanagan and Coral Springs Charter were playing what amounted to a playoff tuneup game in Pembroke Pines. The Falcons used the long ball to get the lead, and then had a stellar defensive play secure a 5-1 victory.

Andres Sanchez has been the offensive spark plug for Flanagan all season long, and Tuesday night was no different. Sanchez hit his county-leading fourteenth home run leading off the fourth inning. At the time, the game was tied at one. Sanchez’s shot was followed by Zach Collins’ fifth homer of the season.

The three runs would be more than enough for Falcons starting pitcher Mike Emigh and reliever Jose Mesa Jr. Emigh went the first 5.2 innings, giving up only three hits, while striking out six. Mesa Jr. finished the game for his first save of the season, striking out all four Panthers hitters he faced.

The game may have had a different outcome if not for a tremendous play by Sanchez at third base. With CS Charter lead-off hitter Stephen Kerr singling to lead off the sixth, and Cody Woodburn drawing a walk, the Panthers had runners on first and second with no outs. Christian Khawley then laid down a sacrifice bunt that easily could have turned into a hit, but Sanchez came charging hard and made a perfect, off-balance throw to first to just get Khawly. Emigh then struck out Colton Rogers for the second out, and Mesa K’d Joseph Greenwood to end the threat.

“We practice that play a lot,” said Sanchez of the game-saving defensive play. “It was a hard bunt, which makes it my ball, and I just made the play.” When asked about taking pride in his defense, Sanchez responded. “Defense needs to be there all the time. Offense can come and go, but defense wins games, and it needs to be there every single game.”

Flanagan has found a way over the past couple of years to stay at an elite level, while other Broward teams have had their ups and downs. That type of success does not happen by accident, and Charter Head Coach Jerry Albert knew what he was getting his team into when he scheduled the Falcons this late in the season.

“We try to book the best teams around,” said Albert. “This was great to finally play Flanagan, we’d like to play them every year. I think what they do down here is terrific. They deserve every bit of the accolades they get.”

The respect was something that went both ways on this night.

“If we were going to lose, that (CS Charter) was going to be the team to do it,” said Flanagan Head Coach Ray Evans. “They’ve been hot, they’ve been playing well. They are solid all around. They give a lot of people fits. I give them a lot of credit for the way they battled, they’re a great team.”

Flanagan will close their regular season on Thursday with a match up against crosstown rival Pembroke Pines Charter. The two schools’ home fields are within two miles of each other.

CS Charter ends their regular season at home Thursday against Western.

The Panthers are slated to play American Heritage in the semi-finals of the District 14-3A playoffs next week. Flanagan will open their state title defense Tuesday night against fourth-seeded Cooper City.

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