Douglas Players Pick Up Coach In Return To Heritage

Photo Gallery

In most cases relating to high school baseball, it is usually the manager and coaches giving support to the players as they make their way from adolescence into manhood. On Thursday night, it was the Douglas Eagles baseball team that lent support to Manager Todd Fitz-Gerald in his return to the school where he played, and later coached for 16 years.

Douglas put on an offensive and defensive display in their most complete game of the season, and they walked away from American Heritage with their heads held high after a convincing 10-2 win. For Fitz-Gerald, it was clear from the start that he wanted to settle the score with a program that let him walk away just three seasons ago.

“Extremely happy,” said Fitz-Gerald, when asked how proud he was that his team had his back on this night. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way they came out and played tonight. They knew how bad I wanted this one for myself, personally. I told them I don’t ask them for a whole lot, but if they would go out and win this one tonight for me, I’d appreciate it, and they did that.”

The Eagles played like a team on a mission from the minute the first pitch was thrown. They set the tone in the first inning, scoring three runs, keyed by a Colton Welker double. Welker would do later damage as well, finishing the night 2-for-4, with two doubles, a walk, and two runs. The sophomore explained after the game where the teams mindset was coming in.

“We knew this was a big game for coach, and we wanted to take the game over from the start,” said Welker. “When we scored those three runs in the first, we never looked back. Once we got to the fourth, we knew we could put them away.”

Being “put away” is not something the Patriots have grown accustomed to at home. On Thursday, however, it was more of the same problems that have plagued the team in recent losses, spotty pitching and a lack of offense.

“It’s the same thing that has been happening to us all year,” said Heritage Manager Bruce Aven. “Our approaches at the plate were not good, and our pitchers fell behind too many batters. When you do those two things against good teams, you are going to get beat.”

Douglas’ offense did not slow down after the first inning. They scored one in the second, and then extended the lead to 5-0 in the third. Blake Bottomley and Max Boling keyed the inning with a single and double, respectively. Bottomley finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, two runs, and three RBIs. Boling ended the day 3-for-4 with two doubles.

With the Eagles offense in gear, their ace Jesus Luzardo was handed the ball in a rare situation, with a big lead before he took the mound. Luzardo has pitched in many of the eagles’ biggest games this year, and has been the victim of some tough losses. On this night, Luzardo did his part again, holding the Patriots to two runs on three hits.

“Pitching with the lead like that is a completely different experience,” said Luzardo. “You can relax out there on the mound, and know that even if you make a mistake, it is not going to hurt you. It was fun to do that tonight.”

In the fourth, Douglas blew the game open, adding four runs, and making the score 10-0. In the inning, the Eagles hit four doubles, including back-to-back-to-back doubles by Matt Fierman, Bottomley, and Boling.

The Patriots were able to avoid a mercy-rule by scoring a run in their half of the fourth on a solo home run off the bat of Milton Ramos. They scored again in the sixth, but that would be all the offense could muster against Luzardo.

Heritage may have tightened the game in the fifth had it not been for Eagles third baseman Devin Conn. The junior recorded all three assists in the inning, including a highlight reel play when he dove to his right to snag a ground ball from Justin Hernandez. Conn then sprung to his feet and made a strong throw to first to retire Hernandez. On the day, Conn had seven assists from the hot corner.

“What do you want me to say about Devon tonight,” said Fitz-Gerald. “He was awesome. With the arm he displayed across the diamond, the backhand play, the ball that kicked off the glove that he backhanded. It’s pretty special, and he did it in front of some very important people tonight. Good for him.”

For Fitz-Gerald, the satisfaction of the night was evident on his face throughout, as even he jacked up the intensity for the game.

“I was sick to my stomach all day,” he said. “I really didn’t want to be here. I scheduled the game early in the year, thinking I would be ok, but, it’s hard. I went to high school here. I spent 16 years of my life here. As hard as that all was today, I’m in a great place now. I love where I’m at, it’s a great opportunity and a great program here at Douglas, and I wouldn’t ask for anything different.”

Leave a comment using your facebook account!