Seven takeaways from South Florida baseball regional semifinals

Some of the usual suspects breezed by in the semifinals, while a couple of others have been pushed to a decisive third game

Marjory Stoneman Douglas outfielder Nick Diaz is showing why MLB scouts are watching him this time of year. Diaz hit two home runs in the regional semifinals. / Joe Frisaro

The baseball regional semifinals in South Florida have provided plenty of action and excitement.

In most cases, the schools expected to move on, already have. But there is some unfinished business. A couple of series are going to a decisive Game 3 on Saturday.

High School on SI is tracking all the action, and offers these seven takeaways from the regional semifinals.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas is heating up

The constant all season for the Stoneman Douglas Eagles has been their pitching. Anchored by their ace, Gio Rojas, the Eagles have one of the best, if not, the best pitching staff in Class 7A.

What had been unanswered is the offense. The hitting has lagged a bit. Keep in mind, in their Region 4 quarterfinals round with Cypress Bay, Douglas scored a combined nine runs, while allowing two.

It’s been a different story in the semifinals. In both wins against a young, and talented Taravella squad, Douglas posted two mercy-rule wins, scoring 22 runs combined.

Nick Diaz has come up huge, going 5-for-7 with two home runs and five RBIs. And, Rojas, a standout on the mound and as a designated hitter, has chipped in with some big hits as well.

Douglas, seeded first in Region 4, next will face the winner of Saturday’s Game 3 between Columbus at West Broward.

American Heritage is home run happy

The long ball has become common for the Patriots. At least it was in their Class 4A-Region 4 quarterfinals sweep of Key West. Home for both games, Heritage belted five home runs in the two games.

In Game 1, RJ Machado broke the game open with a grand slam. The score was 1-0 at the time when the Heritage third baseman blasted a no-doubter to left, making it a five-run lead.

The Patriots went on to win, 6-1.

Machado’s home run came on a 3-0 fastball. The senior was given the green light, and made the most of it.

In Game 2, a 9-5 win, Heritage blasted four home runs. It started in the first inning when sophomore shortstop Blayden Caballero hit a two-run shot. Catcher Sebastian Garavito capped a nine-pitch at-bat with a two-run homer, while center fielder Jordan Rich and second baseman Chris Levy each hit solo shots.

Heritage, the No. 1 seed, will face sixth-seed Belen Jesuit in the regional finals, which get underway on Monday. Jesuit upset No. 2 seed Merritt Island in three games.

St. Thomas Aquinas advances easily

In Class 6A, St. Thomas Aquinas had been a scoring machine. As a team, the Raiders have connected on 62 home runs. It was more of the same in their two-game sweep of West Boca. In Game 1, St. Thomas breezed to a 9-2 win. Zack Malvasio and Cole Lasher each hit home runs in that game.

Credit to West Boca in Game 2. The Bulls limited St. Thomas’ high-scoring attack to four runs, with the final being, 4-2. Malvasio, a Central Florida recruit, again was the star, with two home runs and three RBIs.

Beginning on Wednesday (May 7), St. Thomas will host the winner of Doral Academy at Braddock in the Region 4 finals.

Mater Academy Charter moves on

The Lions are the top seed in Class 5A-Region 4, and defeated Pembroke Pines Charter in two games. The first one was by a run-rule, 12-1. Third baseman/outfielder Yodelkis Quevedo is one of the top juniors in the state, and he showed why with a home run, two hits and three RBIs.

Up and down the lineup, Mater Academy hit in the opener, pounding out 13 total hits. The second game was a little more deceptive. While the Lions won, 8-1, it as a 1-1 game in the top of the fourth inning, before Mater scored a run in their half of the fourth. A six-run sixth inning put the game out of reach.

Mater Academy will next play the winner of Saturday’s Archbishop McCarthy at Varela game.

Doral Academy pushed to Game 3

One of the biggest surprises in the regional semifinals is that the Doral Academy series with Braddock is going to a decisive third game, which will be at Braddock.

Not only did the Firebirds lose in Game 2, they got blown out, 15-2. The surprise outcome came after Doral posted a 10-0 win in Game 1. That’s baseball, right?  

In the first game, Doral’s Gabriel Milano had three hits, while Dylan Prince, Kobe Carrion and Leandro Hernandez each belted home runs.  

In Game 3, Doral has one of its top pitchers, Jadyn Nunez, available to start.

Columbus-West Broward goes to Game 3

Not surprisingly, this Class 7A-Region4 series is going the distance.

Both teams better rest up, because Game 3 is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday at West Broward.

Pitching and timely hitting has been the story in the first two games.

West Broward had its backs to the wall after losing, 4-3, in the first game.

In Game 2, the game was scoreless before the Bobcats scored three times in the seventh inning, and held on for a 3-0 win.

Braden “Ace” Aguila was the story, tossing a shutout. The junior right-hander also struck out five.

Ivan Sabater drove in two runs in the seventh inning to propel the offense.

Archbishop McCarthy forces third game at Varela

Baseball can be a funny game. Archbishop McCarthy and Varela are two teams that rely heavily on pitching.

So what’s been the story in their Class 5A semifinal? Hitting.

After losing 8-7 at home in Game 1, the Mavericks rebounded with an 8-4 win on Thursday to set up a winner-take-all game at Varela on Saturday at 11 a.m.

A five-run second inning gave the Mavericks a cushion they would not relinquish. Caden Coleman was an energizer with three hits, two RBIs and a run scored. In center field, Coleman also made a diving catch that saved a few runs.

Alejandro Ponte drove in two runs for Varela. Nick Baluja is a junior shortstop who made a few standout plays in the field, and he also scored a run.

The winner Saturday gets a tough assignment next week against Mater Academy Charter.