American Heritage Wins Its 4th State Title In Team History

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For the fourth time in program history, the American Heritage Patriots are state champions. With a convincing 6-1 victory over the Mulberry Panthers, Heritage earned its second title in three years on Tuesday night at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.

The Patriots (28-6) also won the title two years ago in 2023, and have played in three straight finals after also falling to the Jesuit Tigers in last season’s 5A championship. Heritage first won in 2008, and also won the 2012 state final.

Heritage did not waste much time in taking control. Mulberry had last won the second of its two state titles back in 1960, and are not regulars at the state tournament the way Heritage has been. But the Panthers (27-10) were back after reaching the Final Four a season ago, and this time around they had advanced to the finale.

But once the Patriots landed the first blow with a five-run second inning, the Panthers were never able to respond back with a crooked number.

The first three batters all reached to load the bases for Heritage in the second. Sebastian Garavito singled to right field and was replaced by courtesy-runner Ethan Till, Zack Wilson walked and Hayden Harrison was hit by a pitch. Christopher Levy then got the party started with a liner to left for a two-RBI double. A balk plated another run, and a walk to Jordan Rich put runners on the corners. Rich then broke for second and drew a high throw that allowed Levy to score. R.J. Machado next delivered a sac-fly RBI that drove in Rich.

An inning later the Patriots tacked on their final run of the night. Blayden Caballero singled on a liner to center, Garavito walked and Wilson singled to right to load the bases once again. A wild pitch then allowed Caballero to come home.

Mulberry answered back to get on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. Dominick Gotauco was hit by a pitch, Nic Partridge walked and Griffin Cline reached on an error that loaded the bases. A.J. Medina then sent an RBI single into right field to drive Gotauco in and avoid the shutout.

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