Charles W. Flanagan High School Baseball

Behind a textbook combination of tremendous pitching, stellar defense and timely clutch hitting, the Flanagan Falcons improved their record to 7-1 with a 4-1 victory over a solid Timber Creek Wolves (4-4) ballclub visiting from the Orlando area.  Senior righthander Pichi Torres (3-1) delivered the second pitching gem in three days for the Falcons, holding the Wolves to one earned run on five hits, with 6 K and 1 BB, in the complete game effort.  Torres' season ERA now stands at a impressive 0.58 through 24 inings pitched, with an 30:2 K to BB ratio. 

The Flanagan defense played error-free ball in support of Torres, including 3 magnificent plays turned in by senior thirdbaseman David Gonzalez, who also contributed with a two out, run scoring double in the sixth inning.  Mike Melendez had a big night, going 2-3 with a double and an RBI, while Geoff Jimenez (1-2, 2 R, 2B, BB), Collin Martindale (1-2, R, 3B), and Torres (1-2, RBI, BB) also paced the Falcons offense.

The boys in green and black head to South Plantation for a Tuesday afternoon showdown with the Palladins before returning home to face 6A-District 12 rival Cypress Bay on Friday night.

Playing against division opponent, Western High, the JV Falcons jumped out to an early lead with 2 home runs in the first inning. They would never look back. In the top of the 1^st inning, Shortstop, Andres Sanchez (2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB), hit a 2 run homer to deep center (360 feet), and RF, Carlos Lopez (2-4, 2 RBI, 1 R ) would follow with a solo shot that traveled just as far over the right field fence. 2^ND Baseman, Brandon Melendez (1-2, 2 RBI, 1 R) would add a 2 run double in the 2^nd inning to increase the lead to 5-0. Other notables on offense were LF, Jadan Garcia (2-4, 1 R),  and CF, Christian Nelson (2-2, 1 R, HBP).

That would be enough for Falcons starter, Adam Murray (4 IP, 4 H, 3K, 3 BB, 0 ER). The only Western run was unearned. Murray moves to 3-0 this season. Tyler Neville (3 IP, 0 H, 1 K, 1 BB) came in for the final 3 innings and was equally impressive.

Final score: Falcons 6, Western 1. Next up for the Baby Falcons is division opponent, West Broward, on Saturday, 3/13. Game times are 10:00 A.M. & 12:30 P.M..

After a few relatively quiet offensive performances in district wins over Everglades and Cooper City, the Falcons bats came alive with an 11 hit outburst in support of senior righthander Justin Machado (6 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K), who moved to 4-0 and reduced his season ERA to 0.76 in the 11-0, 6 inning, run-rule shortened victory at Western High School.

Junior shortstop Ricky Santiago (2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, HR, BB) and senior thirdbaseman David Gonzalez (1-2, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, HBP) each provided the long ball and combined for 5 RBI, while senior outfielders Geoffrey Jimenez and Pichi Torres each went 3-4 with an RBI.  Defensively, Santiago and junior Matt Figueroa were solid, each with 5 assists.

The Falcons are back in action at home tomorrow night, Friday 3/12, at 7pm when the Timber Creek Wolves visit from the Orlando area for an interstate 6A matchup.

Playing against a more experienced (only 1 Freshman on the roster) St. Thomas team, the baby Falcons managed a split of their 2 games on Saturday, March 6. The Raiders came into the game unbeaten (3-0), and took a time shortened game 1, 9-7. Falcon miscues led to a 7-1 deficit going into the 3^rd, before their comeback would fall short. The game ended on a play at the plate that would have made the score 9-8, with a runner at 2^nd, and the Falcon’s hottest hitter, Carlos Lopez coming up. Offensive highlights went to Lopez (1-2, 1 RBI), Andres Sanchez (2-2, 2 RBI, 2 R), Jaden Garcia (2-3, 1 RBI, 2 R), and Rafael Betances (2-2, 2 RBI, 2 R). 

Game 2 found the Falcons staring at a 5-1 deficit going into the 3^rd inning, before the bats came alive. 6 hits and 6 runs later, the JV squad led 7-5 going into the 4^th. The Raiders would put 4 more runs on the board in the 4^th, and lead 9-7. The Falcons would tie it back up, 9-9, going into the 5^th, and final inning (time, once again, shortened the game). LHP, Adam Murray (2-0) would be called in to stop the Raiders’ potent offense. Murray was helped by CF, Christian Nelson, who threw out a runner at the plate. In the bottom half of the inning, the Falcons recorded 2 quick outs before Rafael Betances (3-3, 3 R) would single. Bases were loaded when Brandon Melendez (2-3, 2 RBI, 1 R) would re-enter the game, and single in Betances to end the game. Final score: Falcons 10, Raiders 9. Jaden Garcia (3-3, 1 RBI, 1 R), Andres Sanchez (2-2, 1 RBI, 1 R) and Carlos Lopez (3-3, 2 RBI, 1 R) also contributed to the offense. The Baby Falcons (4-1) travel to Western on Thursday, 3/11, at 3:45 P.M. for their next game.

With another night of solid pitching and timely hitting, the Flanagan Falcons won their 3rd in a row, with a 5-1 victory over Cooper City that moved them to 2-0 in 6A-District 12.  The Falcons picked up a lone run in five of six innings, which proved enough for starter Justin Machado (5 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 8 K, 2 BB), who went to 3-0 in the young 2010 season.  Senior Pichi Torres (2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 K, 0 BB) earned his first save by closing out the 6th and 7th for the Falcons.

Offensively, Geoffrey Jimenez (1-3, 2 R, BB, 3B, SB) hit his 3rd triple of the 2010 campaign in the home half of the first inning and scored on a Collin Martindale RBI groundout.  Jimenez would score again in the 3rd inning after drawing a walk. stealing third and scoring on a wild throw from the Cowboys backstop.  In the 4th inning, Mike Melendez (1-3) led off with a single and Corey Janson (2-3, 2 2B) struck with his first of two doubles on the night, however, Melendez was thrown out at the plate.  Three batters later, Ryan Lozada (1-2, RBI, BB) would deliver a clutch two out single to extend the Falcons lead to 3-0.  After the Cowboys picked up an unearned run in the top of the 5th inning, Flanagan shortstop Ricky Santiago (1-1, RBI, BB, SAC, SB) drove in Martindale with a sacrifice fly to deep left field for his team leading 8th RBI of the season.  Robert Collin, pinch running for Janson after his second two-bagger, would close out the Flanagan scoring in the 6th inning on a steal attempt of home that induced a throwing error from the Cooper City first baseman.

The boys in green visit Western on Thursday, 3/11, at 6:30pm for their first road game of the year, before heading to the friendly confines of Falcons Field on Friday, 3/12, at 7pm, when they host Timber Creek from the Orlando area.