Charles W. Flanagan High School Baseball

It took 7 innings, over 3 hours and 15 minutes, 25 combined runs and 26 combined hits, and all the drama that fans from both teams could stand to watch, but in the end, the Flanagan Falcons (13-1) overcame potential disaster to win their 11th straight game, defeating the Lake Braddock Bruins (VA), 13-12, in the Orlando National Classic semifinal.

The Falcons saw a 7-1 lead evaporate in the top of the 4th inning, when the Bruins struck for 9 runs, but showed heart and tenacity to have it knotted up at 10-10 after the inning was over. After Lake Braddock took an 11-10 lead in the top of the fifth, the teams traded scoreless halves, until the Falcons retook the lead at 12-11 with three outs to get in the top of the 7th to ensure victory. However, the fiesty Bruins would not go away, getting a two-out single to tie it at 12-12, setting up the dramatic finish for the Falcons.

Mike Melendez (2-2, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 BB, HBP) was hit by a pitch to lead off the 7th, and after a Flanagan pop out to third, Matthew Beauchemin (2-4, R, RBI, 2B, HBP) drove him to third with a double to left center. David Gonzalez (2-5, R, 3 RBI) would deliver the walk off win with a single over the thirdbaseman. Pichi Torres (2-4, R, BB) and Geoff Jimenez (2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, 3 SB) had multi-hit games for the Falcons, and Torres (3.1 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 2H, K, BB) improved his record to 4-1, earning the win in relief.

The Falcons now face Baseball America's #1 ranked Farragut High (TN) in the championship game on Thursday night, 7:30pm, at historic Sanford Stadium.