WESTLAKE – A late-season run could be brewing for Dwyer.
While we will not know for sure right now, we do know that Dwyer cruised its way to the District 13-6A title. It happened in last night’s (May 4) 5-0 win over Olympic Heights, an upstart program that could be set up well for the future.
Dwyer (18-9) got a complete game from sophomore pitcher and USF commit Bryce Jackson, who allowed just two hits and three walks, while adding five strikeouts in the process. His maximum velocity was clocked at a blistering 88 miles per hour on the mound.
Jackson’s masterful performance could be a precursor of something even bigger down the line.
But for now, we will focus in on last night’s gem.
“Just had to throw out strikes,” Jackson said. “The defense backed me. It was an all-around good game.”
At one point, it seemed as if Olympic Heights (12-9) was going to take the early lead in the top of the second inning. But Jackson got out of a bases-loaded jam, which ultimately galvanized his team.
“Just made my defense work,” Jackson said. “That’s how you get out of innings.”
The bottom of the second inning provided to be a rewarding one for Dwyer, as junior and Florida State commit Matty Davis knocked in a double to put his team in scoring position. Soon thereafter, he reached home base off an RBI single by Kristoffer Blanks.
Dwyer ended the second inning with a 3-0 lead over Olympic, thanks to the Davis run, a Blanks run, and a Dawson Thrush run that was made possible by an RBI single from catcher Corey Goldstick.
The game’s remaining two runs came at the bottom of the third inning for Dwyer. Those who scored were Jackson and senior Max Iervolino.
“We rely a lot on the top guys in the order,” Dwyer head coach Alex Morales said. “But in this game, it was the guys in the middle, towards the end that got big hits for us.”
No. 1 seed Dwyer’s district title run began on Tuesday night (May 3) with a 10-0 win over No. 5 seed Atlantic (Delray Beach) (10-16 final record). It ended with another shutout over No. 2-seed and district runner-up Olympic Heights.
Dwyer scored 15 runs while allowing no runs in the District 13-6A championship series at Seminole Ridge High School in Westlake.
“We played extremely well,” Morales said. “Our guys seem to be playing their best ball at the right time.”
Olympic Heights head coach Willie Vizoso reflected on his team’s district title run, which included a 4-3 win over No. 3 seed and tournament host Seminole Ridge (9-17 final record) in the district semi final round on Tuesday (May 3).
“It was a hard fought game,” Vizoso said. “The progress that these boys made throughout the year…they became a unit. They learned how to play quality baseball this year. It’s a big improvement from where they started. They’re becoming a program, which we’re trying to accomplish here.”
