FORT MYERS, Fla. – With his team trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh with runners at second and third and two outs, Shane McCormack shot a single right back up the middle to allow X Team to earn a spot in the 17u PG Super25 National Championship by defeating SWFL Nation 2019 3-2 in the Florida Super Qualifier.
It had been two and a half months since McCormack had even been on the field. Mononucleosis had sidelined the class of 2018 second baseman from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and his first action saw himself come to the plate in the biggest spot of all for X Team.
“I had missed a chance to lay down a bunt earlier in the game, so I knew I had to make up for that,” McCormack said. “I was trying to just stay up the middle and not try to do too much with power not being part of my game. I was able to get the job done.”
Two intriguing arms got the call of the mound for their respective clubs in righthander Michael Schuler (2018, Coconut Creek, Fla.) for X Team and lefthander Brandon Gielow (2019, Englewood, Fla.) for SWFL. Each starter worked a clean first inning, with Schuler coaxing three groundball outs and Gielow notching a strikeout in the bottom half of the frame.
SWFL got something going with two outs in the second after Kalvin Alexander (2019, Lakeland, Fla.) drew a walk and Kasey Ross (2019, Cape Coral, Fla.) lined a single to left. Garrett Wilt (2019, Lakeland, Fla.) launched a ball deep into left-center field, but center fielder Christian Nehls (2017, Weston, Fla.) made a sparkling catch, hauling it in on the run to potentially save two runs and keep the game scoreless.
X Team quickly put together a threat in the bottom half when Alex Cordero (2018, Boca Raton, Fla.) dropped a single to center and Benjamin Rushing (2018, Weston, Fla.) worked a walk with nobody out.
A fielder’s choice made it first and second with one out, and Gielow was helped out by a nice running catch by Wilt in left field. The lefthander helped himself by fielding a comebacker to escape the threat.
X Team generated another threat in the third after a walk, an unsuccessful sacrifice bunt and a single to left field by leadoff man Tyler Zayas (2018, Pembroke Pines, Fla.), but as Zayas’ ball was fielded the lightning horn went off halting play. After the delay just short of six hours due to heavy rain, the game was moved to JetBlue Park to complete the contest.
Wilt came on in relief and was aided by a leaping catch by second baseman Michael Hopta (2019, Delray Beach, Fla.) and he threw to second to complete the double play, quickly extinguishing the threat.
Anthony Tomczak (2019, Boca Raton, Fla.) was tasked to hold the line for X Team in relief but got himself into trouble after a leadoff walk to Jorel Ortega (2019, Lake Worth, Fla.) and an infield single by Matt Paulo (2019, Lake Worth, Fla.) with one out. Tomczak got Alexander to bounce into a fielder’s choice, and would retire Ross on a popout to second to keep the game scoreless.
In the fifth, Gielow singled to right with two outs for SWFL and moved up to second on a wild pitch, but Hopta lined out to center to end the frame.
While Wilt kept X Team at bay on the hill, SWFL used small ball in the top of the sixth to generate another scoring opportunity. Jake McKee (2019, Fort Myers, Fla.) dropped down a perfect bunt down the third base line for a leadoff single. He was moved up to second on a bunt by Ortega and advanced to third on a fly ball to right.
Tomczak kept it 0-0 by getting a groundball to second to again get out of trouble.
Team X had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the bottom half after a walk and a single by Zayas. After a line out to left and an error by the third baseman, Cordero came up with the bases loaded, but popped out to short as the two teams went to the seventh still scoreless.
Liam Cogswell (2019, Boca Raton, Fla.) came on for X Team in relief in the seventh and was greeted by a ringing double to left center off the bat of Alexander. A wild pitch moved up pinch runner Yariel Diaz (2019, Lehigh Acres, Fla.) to third. Ross was hit in the back to set up first and third and nobody out.
Wilt was able to put the ball in play after behind in the count, grounding to shortstop who only could make a play to second for a fielder’s choice to make it 1-0 SWFL.
Two wild pitches moved up pinch-runner Julian Meyers (2019, Sanibel, Fla.) to third and with first and third and one out after a walk, an errant pickoff throw allowed Meyers to come home to make it 2-0 heading to the bottom of the seventh.
Ortega came in from shortstop on the hill to try and close the door, but immediately allowed a leadoff single to right by Rushing, who would move up to second on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, another wild pitch moved up Rushing to third and a walk to Cogswell put the tying run at first. Another wild pitch moved Cogswell up to second, Ortega couldn’t find the zone as he walked Andre Martinez (2018, Davie, Fla.) on four straight to load the bases.
Wilt re-entered from off the bench back to the mound and would allow a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of Joaquin Monque (2020, Weston, Fla.) that scored Rushing to make it 2-1. Cogswell moved up to third on the play, and with McCormack at the plate, Martinez stole second, proving to be a big play as McCormack’s single on the next pitch sparked a huge celebration.
“I’ve got to thank the parents and the players for us to stick around with the delay,” X Team head coach Brandon Cooney said. “I think both teams came out a little sluggish when we resumed, and they took the lead and it was unfortunate that we didn’t make a play that allowed their second run to come in. But our guys are a resilient group and they stuck with it.
“I’ve got an interchangeable lineup, and this morning we came out smashed the ball in the semifinal and the bottom of the lineup really won the game for us in the championship game. For Shane to have an opportunity like that after having mono and not being able to play in our first two tournaments, he did a great job coming through there.”
Cooney lauded praise for his pitching staff all tournament long, having to go through doubleheaders in three straight days en route to their triumph.
“We have a team built for these longer tournaments with the pitching and they did an outstanding job. I’m just ecstatic for our guys.”
Zayas earned MVP of the tournament, displaying high caliber defense at shortstop, while batting .563 with two doubles, two triples and driving in six runs. Zayas also cracked a two-run home run in their semifinal victory to help them advance to the championship game.
“I just wanted to come out and play as hard as I could and give it 100 percent,” Zayas said. “We played some really good competition and we made the most out of it. SWFL was a great team and I hope we can play them again.”
X Team avenged a 2-1 defeat to the SWFL Canes in pool play by lashing out 19 hits and scoring six first-inning runs on their way to a 15-4 victory that clinched their spot in the title game. Cordero went a perfect 4-for-4 and drove in three runs, and the trio of Kevin Ferrer (2018, Pawcatuck, Conn.), Nehls and Cogswell collected three hits and combined to drive in seven runs.
Chase Costello (2018, Pompano Beach, Fla.) and Parker Foss (2019, Weston, Fla.) combined on the effort on the mound for X Team.
SWFL earned their spot in the championship game with an 8-0 victory in five innings over Florida Prime Time. Brice Mortillaro (2019, Lakeland, Fla.) went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored a pair of runs to lead the way offensively for SWFL, and Cooper Haskell (2019, Lakeland, Fla.) and Ross combined for a four-hit shutout on the mound with Ross striking out four in 3 1/3 innings of relief.
For SWFL, Tyler Kreissler (2019, Rotonda West, FL) earned Most Valuable Pitcher honors after a strong performance in their opening game on Sunday. He allowed one hit and walked two batters while striking out six in the 7-0 victory against JB Baseball Development.
2017 PG Super25 17u Florida Super Qualifier runner-up: SWFL Nation 2019
2017 PG Super25 17u Florida Super Qualifier MVP: Tyler Zayas
2017 PG Super25 17u Florida Super Qualifier MV-Pitcher: Tyler Kreissler
