It only took one inning for the Buchholz baseball team to dispose of visiting Mandarin (Jacksonville) in the FHSAA Class 6A-Region 1 Quarterfinals.
The No. 7 seed Mustangs scored a pair in the top of the first inning, but the No. 2 Bobcats erupted for seven in the bottom of the inning for a 12-2 win at Bobcat Park.
Unlike last year’s first round games, a best-of-3 series, this year’s regional quarterfinals were single elimination.
“I didn’t like the one game before the game, but now I love it,” said Buchholz coach Chris Malphurs. “Hats off to our kids. They did exactly what we thought they were going to do in the first inning, put pressure on us…our kids didn’t blink. I mean, load the bases, nobody out, Drew hits a bomb, and then we’re off and running.”
Mandarin (15-13) got a leadoff single to right field from junior Jordyn Houston, followed by a perfectly placed bunt single between pitcher Aidan Kastensmidt and first baseman Zac Brown to put two on with no outs.
Kastensmidt, a Jacksonville University signee, got senior Sam Smedley to fly out to right field followed by a strikeout of junior Zach Bouchard.
But with two outs, junior Sam Sprague singled to left field to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.
The Bobcats (20-7) answered emphatically in their half of the first.
Mandarin ace Hunter Simpson gave up an infield hit to Brown, hit junior second baseman Roen Kresak, and walked senior second baseman Blake Brewer to load the bases with no outs.
That sent Stetson University signee Drew Almond to the plate.
“I just saw a fastball early on, that’s what I was sitting on, saw it down the middle, and just like hammered it,” he said. “Once I saw that the bases were loaded, I knew it was my turn to smash something.”
The grand slam proved to be the game-winner, but the Bobcats weren’t done yet.
Following Almond’s fifth home run of the season, Bouchard came in relief and gave up a double down the third base line to Kastensmidt, his seventh double of the season.
Kastensmidt and senior center fielder Angel Irizarry, who was hit by a pitch, both scored on a triple down the right field line by No. 9 hitter Antoine Deleyrolle.
It was the senior’s second triple of the season.
“It’s his first year on varsity,” Malphurs said. “He’s a relentless competitor. Antoine comes and competes at everything we do. He wants to be the best at everything. These are all his buddies, and he did a great job for us tonight.”
Deleyrolle scored on a wild pitch for a 7-2 lead and Kastensmidt retired the side in order in the second and third innings.
“Yeah, it definitely settled me down and gave me confidence to just throw strikes and let the defense work,” Kastensmidt said.
Junior Hudson Sapp added an RBI on a ground out and Irizarry singled in a run for a 9-2 lead.
“We kind of took the sails out of their dugout,” Malphurs said. “They came out fired up in that first inning, and then we hit the grand slam and end up putting seven up in the first and kind of settled the atmosphere, settled the crowd, and Aidan was able to settle in and do a great job.”
Kastensmidt threw five innings and allowed two runs on five hits with only one walk and four strikeouts, giving him 199 for his career.
He also finished with two hits, along with Almond, Brewer, and Brown, who combined for eight of their 11 hits. All nine batters reached base at least once and eight of the nine scored at least one run.
Buchholz, which won its ninth straight game, will host No. 6 seed Oakleaf (Orange Park) in a best-of-3 series in the regional semifinals May 1-2. The Knights (13-14) upset No. 3 seed Bartram Trail (St. Johns), 12-2, to advance.
“Playoffs, man, everybody’s good,” Malphurs said. “Everybody can beat you. We’ll get a good week of practice. We’ll celebrate this one tonight and we’ll be ready to go next Friday.”
FHSAA baseball state playoffs
(teams in the Mainstreet coverage area in bold)
Friday, April 24
Class 5A-Region 1 Quarterfinals
3 Mosley (Lynn Haven) 5, 6 Columbia (Lake City) 2
Class 6A-Region 1 Quarterfinals
2 Buchholz 12, 7 Mandarin (Jacksonville) 2 (6)
Saturday, April 25 (Classes 1A-3A)
Class 1A-Region 2 Quarterfinals
8 Oak Hall School at 1 Orangewood Christian (Maitland), 6 p.m.
6 Lake Mary Prep at 3 Saint Francis Catholic Academy, 4 p.m. – Game will be broadcast on Mainstreet (audio only) beginning at 3:45 p.m.
Class 3A-Region 1 Quarterfinals
6 West Nassau (Callahan) at 3 Suwannee (Live Oak), 7 p.m.
