MCC second baseman Colman LaRoche fields the ball during Tuesday’s game against Astronaut.
ROCKLEDGE The Merritt Island High baseball team skirted the razor-thin edge between making the FHSAA regional tournament and facing the end of the season on Tuesday, pulling out a 3-2 win over Eau Gallie in the bottom of the seventh inning in the District 13-6A semifinal round.
The win earned the Mustangs a shot at the district title, to be awarded Thursday at Space Coast Stadium, and it also guaranteed them a game next week.
“Any time you’re playing (Commodores coach) Bob Collins, you know you’re going to be in for a good game,” Merritt Island coach Greg Plecki said. “Every time we play those guys, we’re battling. It makes a fun game.”
It was a fun ending for junior Jacob Bogle, who delivered the winning hit, one of his two in the game. Merritt Island improved to 20-6 and will play the winner of the late game between Bayside and Rockledge.
Jacob Barrett also had two hits for Merritt Island, and Connor Allen doubled. The Mustangs stranded 11 runners in the game. Jack Gallo and John Ambers hit doubles for the Commodores.
At Space Coast, Holy Trinity defeated the Vipers, 5-3, in one District 9-5A game, while Satellite beat Astronaut, 7-1. In that game, Zack Kornick struck out nine War Eagles in six innings.
Blake Beyel doubled twice, driving in two runs in Cocoa’s home 9-1 win over Cocoa Beach. At Melbourne Central Catholic, the Hustlers ended Titusville’s season in a five-inning, 10-0 win. MCC got triples from Austin Nickle and Jackson Taylor, and Mark Potter doubled.
In Wednesday’s semifinals at Satellite, Cocoa will face the Scorps, while the Tigers will play the Hustlers.
With an 8-1 win at Harmony, Melbourne earned a spot in Thursday’s District 6-7A final. The Bulldogs will face Viera, a 6-1 winner over Heritage. Christian Robinson homered and drove in three runs for the Hawks. Bryson Wallace improved to 4-0, pitching a complete game and allowing just one hit.
Contact McCallum at 321-242-3698 or bmccallum@floridatoday.com. Follow him @Brian_McCallum on Twitter and at facebook.com/FLtoday.brianmccallum.
High school sports | floridatoday.com/sports/high-school-sports/