North Broward Falls Just Short In Tournament Opener

Unorthodox.

That’s really the only word to truly describe Doral Academy’s 4-3 win over North Broward Prep in Monday’s opening round of the Selective Recruiting Invitational at Monsignor Pace.

The Firebirds’ strange day began when their bus failed to show up, leaving the team to either drive themselves or catch a ride to Pace. That resulted in them showing up just 15 minutes before game time.

They then proceeded to score four runs without an RBI as they inched back over .500 for the season, handing the Eagles their sixth straight defeat in the process.

“We threw strikes, played a little bit of defense and had a couple of key hits at the right moments,” Doral Manager Steve Iglesias said. “Getting here late slowed us down a little bit, but we were able to fight it off, which showed some maturity in our young team.”

It was one of the seniors that really set the stage for this victory though, as right-handed starter Alexis Davila allowed just one unearned run and four hits over four innings, despite having a limited warm-up.

“I was kinda stiff in my shoulder and arm,” Davila said. “In the first inning, I fell behind in the count to every batter, but once I warmed up I felt more relaxed. None of my pitches were really working, though.”

Davila was matched early on by Eagles starter A.J. Fidalic, who despite four early walks, managed to help keep the game scoreless through four innings.

In the fifth, however, things got a little strange.

With one out, Doral (8-7-1, 3-3) got a bounced single through the left side from Alejandro Juvier, but when next batter Brandon Gonzalez flew out to center, it appeared Fidalic might get out of the inning unscathed.

Instead, he issued back-to-back walks to load the bases, and then supposedly hit Carlos Pino with a curve ball, allowing the opening run. The grazing was so minimal that no one but the umpire appeared to see it, but it was enough to end Fidalic’s night.

Pinch-hitter Christian Hernandez then stepped up to face submarine-tossing reliever Will Simpson. Hernandez lifted what seemed like a relatively tame fly ball into left field. Unfortunately for North Broward Prep (7-8, 2-5), the ball moved a little on the wind and was dropped, allowing all three runs to score.

The Eagles responded with an odd run of their own in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded, Simpson tried to pick off Mack Nathanson at second base, but the ball sailed into center field, allowing Chase Williams to score.

Even with Nathanson picking up the game’s first RBI in the sixth, and Fidalic scoring on Drew Rangel’s seventh-inning ground out, it was just too little too late for the Eagles.

“We had opportunities to make an impact and we didn’t, “ said Campbell. “We continue to step on our own foot and make life hard for ourselves. Hopefully we come out tomorrow, put our best effort out there, make some plays and do what it takes to win a baseball game. “

In tomorrow’s second day of the tournament. North Broward Prep will host Braddock, while Doral will play William T. Dwyer down at Columbus.

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