Dade Christian Tops MIA with More Big Plays

While Marco Island Academy baseball manager Lazaro Ferro naturally hoped his Rays would come out on top, he couldn’t fault his team’s effort in a 9-5 setback to Dade Christian, Friday, March 10, at Tyler Beck Memorial Ballpark on Marco Island.

“I’m very proud of them,” Ferro said. "Today we came out strong. But we didn’t put the hits together the way we would have liked to.”

The Rays found themselves in a 6-1 hole going into the bottom of the fifth inning after Gabriel Bilini went deep with two on.

But the Rays refused to fold. Rays pitcher Jack Berry started the bottom of the fifth with a single into right field. Then Zach Ferro, the coach’s son, blasted a two-run homer down the left field line to cut the lead to 6-3.

Lazaro Ferro told his team they had “plenty of game left” as they returned to the field at the top of the sixth. Ryan Sweeney replaced Jack Berry on the mound in the sixth inning and sent the Crusaders down in order. Berry pitched a solid game, with seven strikeouts in five innings. But he missed some close pitches, ending up with six walks.

The Crusaders came out in the top of the seventh and put another three runs up on the Rays. But instead of folding the tent, the Rays continued to fight in their final at bat. They loaded the bases and senior Shamus Coyle knocked in two runs with a single to cut the deficit to 9-5. All of a sudden, the Rays bats were getting hot, with runners on first and second and only one out.

"We had six hits in a row,” Lazaro Ferro notes.

Then Dade Christian turned in the defensive play of game. A sharply hit ball into shallow centerfield looked like it might bring home a couple more runs for the Rays. Instead the Crusaders’ centerfield made a sliding catch, popped back up and fired a laser to first base to double up the baserunner and end the game.

"That centerfielder made a heck of a play,” Ferro said. "That could have changed the game completely. But that’s baseball, and that’s what happens.”

Ferro appreciates the grit his team showed in the face of adversity.

"I like that we were able to stick together and not make physical and mental mistakes,” he said. "The last two games we made mistakes and it cost us the games.”

The Rays dropped games to Immokalee, 7-4, on Monday, March 6, and 12-11 to Golden Gate on Tuesday, March 7.

"Even though we lost,” Ferro said, "quite honestly tonight was probably the best effort and the most sound game we’ve played, both defensively and offensively. I’m pleased with how we did. We got a good pitching performance from Chase Berry, our senior. It’s unfortunately a couple of pitches that maybe they were in too good of a location for the hitter. That’s what made the difference. Like that home run, that really hurt us. But that’s baseball. Sometimes it goes in our favor and sometimes it goes the opposite way.”

The Rays were led by Coyle and Zach Ferro, with two hits and two RBI apiece. The Rays actually outhit Dade Christian, 11 hits to nine.

The Rays, who have beefed up their schedule this season, sit at 2-8.

"We should have a better record,” Ferro said. "Those last two games really hurt us. We should have won those games but we made mental mistakes. We couldn’t close those games by making physical and mental errors. In the game of baseball, you can’t give your opponent extra chances, and that’s what we did those two games.”

Ferro said his team has time to right the ship.

“It’s a long season,” Ferro said. "And as long as we continue to play, we’re going to get better. Our offense is coming alive a lot better. If we can get our offense alive, and we can win a few games, that has a lot to do with the way we look at the rest of the season.”

The Rays travel to Everglades City on Monday, March 20, then return home on Thursday, March 23, against Mason Classical Academy.