Strong Outing By Barcenas Carries Jaguars Over Falcons

Pembroke Pines Charter and Flanagan came into Thursday nights crosstown rivalry game looking for some consistency. As with many teams in Broward early on this season, the Jaguars and Falcons have traded wins and losses, with both teams hovering around the .500 mark.

It was the Jaguars that walked away with a 2-1 win, in what turned into one of the better pitching duels of the year so far. Bryan Barcenas took the ball for Pines Charter, going five strong innings, allowing no earned runs, and striking out 10 Falcons batters.

“Bryan was a strike machine tonight,” said Pines Charter Manager Carlos Iglesias. “He threw 67 pitches total, and only threw 10 balls. He was spot on right from the start. He did an outstanding job.”

On the other side of the field, it was Brayden Allison that took the ball for Flanagan, and the junior matched Barcenas almost pitch for pitch. Throwing 4.1IP, Allison gave up only two runs, while striking out six.

Things started off well for the Falcons, as Diego Oliveri reached base on an error to lead off the game. After a sacrifice and a strikeout, Allison gave Flanagan a 1-0 lead on a single to left field.

The score stayed that way until the third, when singles by Alexander Puig and Dylan Escobar, along with a walk to Barcenas, loaded the bases for the Jags. What looked like a possible big inning, turned into a 1-1 tie, when Allison induced a ground ball double play, and a pop out to end the inning.

In the fifth, Pines Charter was able to break through and take the lead 2-1, and Barcenas was at the center of the action once again. After a fly out, Barcenas singled, and was followed by a double off the bat of Paul Abolafia.

After a pitching change Sebastian Gonzalez delivered what would be the game-winning RBI, with a single to left.

Martin Periera and Abolafia then threw a shutout inning each to close out the win for the Jaguars.

With the offenses struggling, the pitching dominated the day, and Barcenas set the tone for Pines.

“I came out today against a pretty solid team,” said Barcenas. “I was just trying to throw strikes, and I did what I needed to. Our relievers did a great job also, and we had a big double play to end the game.”

Iglesias stressed the importance of how his team played after the game.

“It was an outstanding game,” said Iglesias. “They are a good team, and it was a great team win.”

With the win, the Jaguars moved to 4-2. They started the season with two wins, then lost two games, and now have won both their past two. They will close out their week on Friday when they host Everglades.

Flanagan has had an equally roller-coaster type season so far, winning three of their first five, before dropping three of their past four. They get some time to regroup before a pair of home games against Coral Glades and Archbishop Carroll next week.

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