Stoneman Douglas Dominates with Historic Fifth Consecutive Florida High School Baseball Championship

Eagles overcome intense Jupiter challenge, clutch plays seal 3-2 victory for unprecedented Class 7A title streak

The Stoneman Douglas Eagles held off Jupiter, 3-2, to win the Class 7A state championship. / Joe Frisaro

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA – All the ranges of emotions were of display on Saturday night as Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ storied baseball program made history once again.

The Eagles became the first team in Florida high school baseball history to win five consecutive state baseball championships, defeating Jupiter, 3-2, to capture the Class 7A state championship.

Five in a row! Let that sink in.

In a sport like baseball, where a bad bounce, a hot pitcher, a fluky hit, a ball lost in the sun. Name it. Any number of things can occur on a baseball diamond that can derail a season.

But the Eagles, like they normally do, found a way.

Jake Rizzo had a two-run single, and Michael Ossenfort drove in an insurance run in the fifth inning.

“Our guys just know how to win,” Douglas coach Todd Fitz-Gerald said. “I couldn’t be happier for them. This is unbelievable. It will never be done again in high school baseball in the state of Florida. No way.”

After the game, the Douglas players posed for a team picture, holding up five fingers.

What’s the hardest part of it in stringing together consecutive championships?

“The motivation,” Fitz-Gerald said. “Keeping them grounded. Keeping them focused, every day. They’re a different group. Really loose. Really special. I’m going to miss a lot of these guys. A lot of these guys have been with me a long time.”

Players come and players go at Stoneman Douglas. The championship culture, however, stays.

Jupiter, under the direction of first-year coach Joe Giummule gave the Eagles all they can handle. Credit to the Warriors (26-10), who defeated Hagerty, 6-4, in the state semifinals on Friday.

The Warriors made it a one-run game in the sixth inning on Ryan Senecal’s RBI single. And with two outs, they had runners on the corners against reliever Breylynn Courtney.

At that moment, Jupiter attempted a rundown play in hopes of scoring the tying run. The runner of first base fell to the ground in hopes of drawing a throw to the right side of the infield. The runner on third was poised to race home, depending on how Douglas handled the run-down between first-and-second.

Courtney threw to shortstop Erick Torres, who tracked the runner on third as he chased the runner on first back to first.

Earlier in the game, Torres had made two errors which led to an unearned run. But with the lead on the line in the sixth inning, Torres handle the rundown-situation perfectly. The shortstop tossed the ball to Rizzo, who applied the tag on the Jupiter runner attempting to get back to third base.

In the seventh inning, Courtney had a much less stressful inning, retiring the side in order. The final out went to Nick Diaz in right field, and the Eagles (31-2) completed their drive for five.

There was something poetic with Diaz handling the last out. A year ago, when Douglas defeated Windermere, 3-2, in eight innings, Diaz came through with the walk-off single.

Douglas used three pitchers on Saturday, with Daniel Tartaglia going the first three innings, allowing one unearned run. Chase Wildroudt threw 1 2/3 innings, and Courtney logged the final 2 1/3 innings. In the fifth inning, the lefty worked out of a bases-loaded jam.

Jupiter starter Jack Wahl-Cox impressed for 4 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits.

Jupiter took the early lead, pushing across a run in the second inning on Griffin Miller’s sacrifice fly. Andrew Abad scored on Miller’s fly ball to right field.

Stoneman Douglas immediately responded, and took the lead on Rizzo’s two-out, two-run single. Torres and Lorenzo Laurel each scored on the play.

Tartaglia battled through some rough patches in the third inning. Gabe Graulau led off with a triple, but he was thrown out at home a ground ball to Rizzo at third.

In the fourth inning, Douglas handed the ball to Wildroudt.

The Warriors immediately threatened when Edie Otero led off with a double. But Jupiter stranded runners on second and third when Wildroudt induced a ground ball to short.

Ossenfort’s RBI single to right in the fifth gave Douglas a 3-1 lead, which ended up being the difference.

“The pitching was outstanding,” Fitz-Gerald said. “All three guys. I mean, big play after big play. Both teams didn’t take advantage of some opportunities. Base-running mistakes. Well coached team over there.”