- May 11, 2024
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Hawks starting pitcher Joey Balsam throws a pitch against FPC. Photo by Ray Boone
The Hawks' Cody Duke rips a ball to the right field wall against FPC. Photo by Ray Boone
Hawks relief pitcher Jarrett Maresco prepares to throw a pitch against the Bulldogs. Photo by Ray Boone
Spruce Creek's Brandon Marsh catches a pop up against FPC. Photo by Ray Boone
Through five innings against Flagler Palm Coast, Spruce Creek struggled.
Outfielders were dropping routine pop-ups. Ground ball where sliding past the open gloves of infielders. The three hurlers who took to the mound for the Hawks struggled with the off-speed pitch.
And the Hawks, which had scored one run before the sixth frame, couldn’t connect with their bats.
“We’re a resilient club. We made some youthful mistakes. That’s just been a common theme for us so far. We’re going to have to make some adjustments as far as that goes. We also have to execute better on the mound than what we’ve been doing, especially against a good club. That’s a good baseball team over there, and when you give a good baseball team freebies, you tend not to win.”
Spruce Creek coach Johnny Goodrich
Hawks coach Johnny Goodrich could feel the tension in the dugout as his ball club fell behind 7-1 to the Bulldogs on the night of Thursday, March 1, at Spruce Creek High School.
“I told them to just keep fighting,” Goodrich said.
Shortstop Hunter Fornari responded to his coach’s order in the sixth inning, drilling a ball over the right field wall for a home run for the Hawks’ first score since the first inning.
Fornari was still getting congratulated in the dugout when right fielder Zac Veen sent another ball flying over the right field wall on the next at-bat.
The Hawks’ momentum grew, and the Bulldogs’ lead shrank.
Spruce Creek was able to tack on four more runs in the inning, including a 2 RBI triple by third baseman Samuel Grinstead.
“The intensity went up, and we started hitting the ball,” Fornari said. “Each guy was hitting the ball and passing the bat to the next hitter.”
Goodrich’s words, “just keep fighting,” reverberated through the minds of his players with each at-bat, with each pitch. Heading into the final inning down one run, the Hawks were as excited as ever when Camden Traficante took to the plate with two outs and the tying run at first base.
On a 1-2 count, Traficante swung at a curveball thrown by Bulldogs closer Trevor Meaney.
He, and the Hawks, went down swinging.
