Douglas Heading Back To States For Sixth Straight Year

Douglas advanced to the 7A State Final Four on Saturday, winning Game three of a hard-fought series with West Broward, 7-0, to take the three game series 2-1.

That is the easy part of this story. Because Douglas is used to winning these games at this moment. They have now won six straight regional titles, and is set to defend their record, five straight state titles.

So how did they get here in 2026? Now, that is the part that shows just how special this program has become.

Over the years, there has been a lot thrown at the Douglas Eagles, as they have built their baseball empire.

Their playoff runs have been filled with dramatic comebacks, funny bounces, dominant performances at times, and an overall resolve to get through anything that has come their way.

This season, the Eagles were faced with the ultimate task, of navigating through their Manager, Todd Fitz-Gerald, being away from the team throughout the season, to be with his wife, Colleen, who is battling a Brain Cancer diagnosis.

And while the Eagles family, along with the entire community, has rallied around the Fitz-Gerald’s, it took the team some time for the team to deal with the emotions of the situation, and come together and gel on the field.

Wat back in February, in their first game of the preseason, the Eagles tied West Broward 5-5.

Then, in late February, the teams faced off again in the BCAA tournament. The Bobcats won the game 9-5, delivering one of the few times that Eagles ace Gio Rojas has been hit hard.

Fast-forward to the regional final match up between the two teams that started Friday, and the momentum was set for West Broward to finally get over the Eagles barrier that has kept them from states several times over the past five years.

Friday night, Rojas got his revenge, delivering a complete game, five-hit performance, striking out 10, and allowing only one unearned run.

The Eagles offense turned the tide from their early season game, as they defeated West Broward ace Ivan Sabater, in a similar fashion that the Bobcats had handled Rojas in the first match up.

West Broward fought back in game two. After falling behind 6-1 in the third, the Bobcats showed how much they had grown through the year, by scoring 11 straight runs, eight in the fourth, and three in the sixth, eventually winning 12-7.

Game three, however, was all Douglas, as Drew Boivan and Tyler Stertzbach combined on a three hit shutout, as the Eagles won the game 7-0.

Cade Raley had two RBIs, while Jake Rizzo and Lorenzo Laurel had two hits each in the game.

The win sends Douglas back to Fort Myers, where one of the toughest Final Fours they have faced, awaits. Vero Beach, a program Douglas defeated back in the 2024 state semifinals, will be up first.

The other two teams in the finals are Hagerty, and Venice, the team currently ranked #1 in many national polls.

Despite the tough road, Douglas will be ready, and battle-tested, both on the field, and mentally.

Fitz-Gerald spoke earlier in the year, and then again this past week, about what this team and moment has meant to him.

“I find myself grateful every day that I get to wake up next to my wife,” said Fitz-Gerald. “And these guys have been through a lot, with their coach not being out there every day. I am proud of how they have responded and come together as a team, and am grateful for everyone in the community that has helped out through this entire year.”

Douglas (7A) joins an impressive group of defending champions that have earned a trip back to states this year. Holmes County (Rural), Miami Springs (3A), American Heritage 4A, Mater Academy (5A), and St. Thomas Aquinas (6A), all also won their regional championships to defend their crowns. The other two champs from a season ago both fell in game threes on Saturday, coming just short of an unprecedented return of every defending champion.

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