2,115 MLB PLAYERS | 14,476 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story  | 6/30/2021

Team Orlando Comes Up Clutch at 14u BCS

Sam Warren     
Photo: Erick Martinez (Perfect Game)
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- With their championship hopes on the line, Team Orlando 14u put on a clutch performance, beating the 5 Tool Titans, 4-1, Wednesday morning in their final 2021 PG 14u BCS National Championship pool play game. The victory vaulted the Winter Garden, Fla.-based squad into BCS bracket play, which begun Wednesday afternoon.
 
While the 21st-ranked 14u team in the nation features a multitude of talent, Team Orlando was innings away from being eliminated from the tournament before playoffs even began. The fifth-ranked team in the Florida-Puerto Rico Region cruised through their first four games, going undefeated and posting a +27 run differential. However, a 4-1 defeat against X Team 2025 Black Tuesday morning put their title aspirations in jeopardy, making their game against the Titans a must-win.

Team Orlando head coach Chris Marlo knew his team was prepped to play in such a pivotal matchup before they even stepped on the diamond.
 
"We came to the ball field ready to go," Marlo said. "We were locked in and came here with good positive energy, so I knew we were ready."
 
Team Orlando used that positive energy to kick off the game with a bang. In the top of the first, starting pitcher Connor Fink swiftly shut down the Titan offense, sending them down in order. After Jordan Marlo drew a walk in the bottom of the inning, Logan Inman drove an RBI double to the left field wall, quickly plating the game's first run for his team. However, Titans pitcher Magdiel Estevez limited the damage, striking out the last Team Orlando batter to strand Inman at third.



With their tournament on the line, Coach Marlo was proud of his team's stellar start.
 
"Connor Fink tossed an excellent game on the mound and threw strikes," Marlo said. "Hitters did a good job not swinging at pitches out of the zone, and we were able to get runners on and get them in when they got on."
 
Fink continued to deal through the first time through the Titans lineup, striking out two while not allowing a hit. However, as the top of the order took their second licks, Alejandro Sardinias finally broke through for his squad. The Titan leadoff hitter smashed a double over Team Orlando's center fielder, giving his team their first hit of the game. Juan Diego Lopez Faria then came through with two outs, lining an RBI single that ricocheted off Fink, bringing home Sardinias and tying the game at one.
 
While the Titans threatened again in the top of the fourth, Patton Pinkins came on in relief to shut down their rally. With momentum on their side, the Team Orlando bats battled to retake their lead. With two outs, Austin Musgrove drew a walk to give his team their first baserunner. The shortstop promptly stole second, putting himself in scoring position. With two strikes, Austin Pierzynski took advantage, poking an RBI single to left to bring in Musgrove and put Team Orlando back on top, 2-1. The son of former major leaguer A.J. Pierzynski kept things simple in his approach, which allowed him to deliver.
 
"I wasn't trying to do too much," Pierzynski said. "I just treated it like any other at-bat. I was looking to put something right-center, but the ball came inside, so I took it the other way."
 
Marlo said Pierzynski's timely knock was just one of many clutch-hitting performances from the catcher.
 
"He's been doing it all season," Marlo said. "He's done an excellent job from the leadoff spot with great plate discipline and barrelling the ball up just about every at-bat. I couldn't ask for a better leadoff hitter right now."
 
However, the hungry Titan offense challenged Team Orlando's lead in the top of the sixth. After Carlos Fuenmayor and Matthew Del Valle hit back-to-back singles to begin the inning, Elijah Andino was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs. Yet, Pinkins looked unfazed and determined to keep his team on top. The Gainesville, Fla. product began his Titan shutdown by inducing a ground ball to second, which Erick Martinez threw home to nab Fuenmayor at the plate. The high-follow class of 2025 player got the next Titan to pop out to center. Needing just one out to escape the jam, Pinkins fired a fastball past a swinging Titan for a strikeout, emphatically keeping his team on top. While Pinkins made it hard on himself, Marlo was confident that the pitcher would will himself out of the predicament.
 
"Patton's the guy I bring in in those situations," Marlo said. "I've put him in that situation many times, he's the guy I want in that situation, and he doesn't get rattled. He's there to compete and get us out of the inning every time."
 
In the bottom of the inning, the Team Orlando bats added some insurance. After Jordan Marlo was hit by a pitch and Inman walked, Connor Cook blooped a single over the Titan first baseman, bringing around Marlo to score. Inman then scored on a wild pitch, giving Pinkins a 4-1 lead to work with in the seventh. With two outs, the pitcher induced a popout to third, closing out the game and sending his team to the playoffs.
 
Moving into bracket play, Marlo said it's all hands on deck for Team Orlando to bring home the prestigious BCS title.
 
"We've got 12 guys here on this roster, and we're gonna need all 12 of them," Marlo said. "There's a personal connection with every one of these guys, as we're all local. We started the season with these same guys, and we're gonna finish it with all 12 of them."
PG Special Events
Travel, Lodging, Entertainment
PG Partners
Recommended
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2024 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.