1994 Palm Beach Gardens High School Baseball
Palm Beach Gardens was supposed to be here. Palm Beach Central wasn't.
Nearly two weeks removed from an epic 11-inning struggle in the District 10-7A championship game, the teams meet again at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a regional semifinal at Palm Beach Gardens. The winner will be one step away from a trip to the state tournament.
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The Gators (21-5), who won that district title game on Jayden Hylton's walk-off three-run homer, have been the No. 1 team in the Palm Beach Post public school rankings for most of the season. Their postseason success has come as no surprise.
But the Broncos (17-10) have put together a playoff run that no one - except maybe coach Tony Gullo - could have expected.
Palm Beach Central lost four of its last six regular-season games, including a 12-2 pounding by crosstown rival Wellington. The Broncos were seeded third in the four-team district and had to open against the second-seeded Wolverines.
"Our guys remembered it," Gullo said of the April 13 loss.
Left-hander David Doumis pitched a five-hitter, walking one and striking out 10, to outduel Wellington right-hander Dawson Ball and lead the Broncos to a 4-1 victory. Cameron Smith, the team's leading hitter with a .442 average, went 3-for-4 and scored twice.
With the top two teams in each district advancing to the regionals, that semifinal game was a must-win, and it was the Wolverines whose season came to an end.
In the district final, right-hander Sammy Orozco picked up where Doumis left off, shutting out powerful Palm Beach Gardens for 7 2/3 innings. When the Broncos loaded the bases with none out in the top of the 11th, it appeared they were poised to pull off another upset.
But reliever Cade Bush, a Florida State commit, worked out of the jam by striking out two and retiring the last batter on a popup, and Hylton delivered the game-winning homer in the bottom of the inning.
The loss meant the Broncos would have to go on the road to face one of the state's best teams (Vero Beach) and best pitchers (Jake Nolan) in the Class 7A regional quarterfinals. The Indians were 22-1 and Nolan was 10-0 with a 0.87 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings.
End of the line for Palm Beach Central? Not yet.
In the third inning, Nolan gave up singles to Mike Davis and Chad Fiedor, the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters, and Doumis to load the bases with none out. The Broncos pushed across two runs on a fielder's choice and an error.
And Doumis, with help from Orozco, outpitched another ace. Doumis went 5 2/3 shutout innings and Orozco got the last four outs to finish off a 3-0 victory.
In 25 postseason innings against big-hitting lineups, the Broncos pitching staff has given up runs in only two of them. The numbers for Doumis and Orozco combined: 21 2/3 innings, 13 hits, one run (unearned), five walks and 21 strikeouts.
Palm Beach Central has played Palm Beach Gardens three times, splitting two close games before the 11-inning playoff thriller. The Broncos are full of confidence and see no reason why their magical postseason run can't continue.
Maybe all the way to Fort Myers, site of the state tournament.
Regional semifinals
Tuesday
Class 3A
King's Academy at St. John Paul II Academy, 4 p.m.
Wednesday
Class 7A
Palm Beach Central at Palm Beach Gardens, 7 p.m.
Park Vista at Parkland-Stoneman Douglas, 7 p.m.
Class 6A
Dwyer at Fort Lauderdale-St. Thomas Aquinas, 7 p.m.
Class 2A
Trinity Christian at Jupiter Christian, 4 p.m.
Source: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/2021/05/10/palm-beach-central-palm-beach-gardens-high-school-baseball-regional/5018465001/
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