Red-hot Lake Mary rallies to win Class 7A-2 baseball title

Rams win 22nd straight game with a 4-2 victory over Spruce Creek, secure No. 1 seed for Region 1 playoffs

LAKE MARY, FLORIDA — Even when the chips are down, Lake Mary High’s baseball team is Ram tough. Its players proved that much on Thursday night.

With its staggering 21-game win streak and regional playoff seeding on the line, Lake Mary scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth and held on for a nail-biting, 4-2, victory against visiting Port Orange Spruce Creek in the Class 7A, District 2 championship game.

Andrew White doubled and scored on a bases-loaded walk, Nikolas Halkis bunted and scored on an RBI-single by Andy Perez, and Aalic Anderson walked and scored on a wild pitch for the Rams in the sixth.

The victory secured the No. 1 seed in Region 1 for Lake Mary (22-1), which will host Flagler Palm Coast in a quarterfinal game on Wednesday, May 10, at 7 p.m.

“It was certainly a hard-fought game,” said Lake Mary coach Jeff Perez, whose team is ranked No. 10 all classes in the FHSAA Power Rankings. “Spruce Creek gave us all we could handle. Some great at-bats and key hits in the sixth were just enough. Great pitching by Ryan Ashford and Brayden Kintner in relief held them off.”

Ashford started and found himself in trouble real quick. A walk and hit by pitch put two runners on for the Hawks in the first. Lucas Badalato then ripped a two-run single for a 2-0 lead.

Lake Mary bounced back in the bottom of the inning when Andy Perez scored on an RBI-single by Preston Hart to cut Spruce Creek’s lead to one, 2-1.

From there, it was a pitching duel between Ashford, who went 5 2/3 innings and gave up just two runs on two hits while striking out six, and Spruce Creek’s Drew Hurst, who allowed just one run on two hits, while striking out six, in four innings.

The Hawks went to Justin Minaberry in the fifth and the Rams pulled out the comeback in the sixth. Andy Perez led Lake Mary by going 2-for-4.

“The team has found different ways to win all year, Jeff Perez said. “They found ways to win in districts, as well. We are just trying to take it step by step and prepare the best we can.”

Spruce Creek also earned a playoff berth and will visit Jacksonville Sandalwood for a regional quarterfinal game on May 10.