Charles W. Flanagan High School Baseball

Behind a complete game from senior righthander David Thomas (3-0), another error-free defensive effort and offensive contributions throughout the lineup, the Flanagan Falcons moved to 7-1 with an impressive 7-2, come from behind, road victory over district rival Cypress Bay.

Thomas was superb, going 7 innings with only 80 pitches, allowing three hits, striking out six and walking only one.  After allowing two earned runs on a leadoff double and ensuing home run in the bottom of the first,  Thomas allowed three Lightning batters to reach safely the rest of the game, with only one reaching second base.

The 2-0 Lightning lead would get cut in half in the top of the 5th inning, when Ryan Smith (2-3, 2 R, RBI, HBP) scored on a throwing error following a Ricky Santiago single.  In the following inning, the Falcons would take the lead for good on a 2-run homer to left field off the bat of senior outfielder Zach Jackson (2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR).  Flanagan would extend the lead to 4-2 when centerfielder Geoffrey Jimenez (2-4, RBI) delivered a two-out single to drive in pinch runner, Ryan Lozada.  In the top of the 7th, the Falcons would pick up three more runs after Justin Frias (2-4, R, 2B, SB) scored on a Cypress Bay throwing error, and Smith and Pichi Torres (2-2, RBI) delivered run scoring singles.

The much anticipated district matchup drew a large crowd that saw the Falcons win their sixth game in a row and move to 2-0 in District 12.  After waiting a week to take on the Lightning, the Falcons go on a tough stretch where they play five district games in 10 days, starting at Everglades on Tuesday, 3/17, at 3:45pm.

The JV Falcons swept the Deerfield Beach Bucks 20-0 and 13-1 in a Saturday doubleheader played at Falcons Field.  In Game 1, Jesse Pazienza (3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 K, 1 BB) and Kevin Rodriguez (2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K, 0 BB) combined on the five inning shutout, while James Penedo (3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 K, 1 BB) and Carlos Lopez (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 5 K, 0 BB) were equally effective, taking care of business in Game 2.

Despite the solid pitching, the storyline for the Baby Falcons was offense, offense and more offense, as they pounded 12 hits in Game 1 and another 13 hits in Game 2.  While a number of Falcons participated in the hit parade, a couple boys in green had big afternoons:

Matt Figueroa (5-5, 5 R, 5 RBI, 2 3B, 2B)
Nick Basto (5-6, 3 R, 4 RBI, 3B, 2 2B)
Matt Beauchemin (3-5, 4 R, 5 RBI, HR, 3B)
Ryan Lozada (3-3, 7 R, 4 RBI)
Keil Conway (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B)
Robert Collin (2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 3B)

The Baby Falcons take their 6-1-1 record to Nova on Monday night, where they'll square off against the formidable Titans at 6:30pm.

Congratulations are in order for Danny Rojo-Campos who was selected by the Miami Herald as one of the Top Performers of the Week for March 2-7 : "Rojo-Campos went 3 for 4 with three RBI as the Falcons blew the game open with a 16-run third inning in a 25-0 victory over Cooper City."  

While saying the Flanagan Falcons started their 2009 Class 6A-District 12 play with a bang would be fitting, it would also be an understatement, as the Falcons walked away from the home of the Cooper City Cowboys with an overwhelming 25-0 victory in 5 innings.

Had it not been for the incredible offensive onslaught, the story line for this game might have deservedly been the combined no hitter thrown by winning pitcher David Thomas (4 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 8 K, 0 BB) and Andres Ortegano (1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K, 1 BB).  However, on this night, it was simply all offense, as Flanagan pounded out 23 hits, including 2 home runs, 1 triple, and 7 doubles. 

The turning point came in the top of the third inning, when the Falcons sent an unbelievable 20 batters to the plate, scoring 16 runs on 13 hits.  The first nine batters got hits, the first twelve reached base safely and the first out wasn't recorded until the 15th Falcon came to the plate.  Amazingly, seniors Justin Frias (1-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB) and Danny Rojo-Campos (3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B) each came up to bat three times in the inning.

Seven Falcons had multi-hit games, including Geoffrey Jimenez (4-5, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 4 SB), Collin Martindale (2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, SB), Corey Janson (2-3), Ryan Smith (2-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B), and Ricky Santiago (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 3B, 2 BB).  Zach Jackson (1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB) hit his 1st home run of the year, a two-run bomb to left field in the decisive 3rd inning, while freshman Nick Basto (2-2, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR) hit his 1st varsity homer, a 3-run shot, in the Falcons fourth inning.

The Falcons, 6-1 overall (1-0 in district play), have another road district matchup against the Cypress Bay Lightning on Friday, 3/13, at 7pm.

It was a crazy, sometimes ugly, but definitely exciting doubleheader for the JV Falcons, as they fought back from seemingly insurmountable deficits to tie and defeat the JV Douglas Eagles, 11-11 and 9-8, at Falcons Field on Saturday.

In Game 1, despite only having 5 hits and leaving 6 runners stranded through the first four frames, the Falcons were still in a ballgame headed into the top of the 5th inning, with Douglas up 4-1 and the Falcons retiring the side in order the inning prior.  However, by the time the dust had settled on the top of the fifth inning, the Eagles had sent 12 men to the plate, belted 7 hits and extended their lead to 11-1, leaving Flanagan fans wondering what had just happened.  Little did those in attendance know that the Baby Falcons had a comeback brewing of their own.

After a leadoff walk to Jason Torres, a single by Ryan Lozada (2-3, 3 R, BB) and an RBI double by Matt Figueroa (2-3, R, RBI, BB, 2B), Nick Basto (2-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB) would belt a 3-run homer to center, cutting the lead to 11-5 with still no outs.  Robert Collin (2-2, R, RBI, 2 BB) would single, Keil Conway reached on a hit by pitch, and Matt Beauchemin singled to load them up yet again for the JV Falcons.  After an error by the Douglas pitcher and a 5-4-3 double play, the Falcons were down to their last out, looking at an 11-7 deficit, with a man on third.  But that is where the Eagles implosion began...six consecutive bases on balls later, the game was tied at 11-11, still with the bases loaded and still with two outs.  The game (and one of the wackiest 5th innings in Falcons history) would end there, however, after a pop up to the Douglas second baseman.

Game 2 started as badly for the Falcons as Game 1 had ended for the Eagles.  After the top half of the first inning was over, the JV Falcons had committed 6 errors and given up 4 hits, spotting the Eagles a 6-0 lead before bringing a batter to the plate.  By the end of the second inning, Douglas had extended the lead to 8-1, and things did not look good for the Baby Falcons.

However, a strong combined relief pitching effort from Kyle Schmidt (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 K, 1 BB) and Robert Collin (1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1K, 1 BB) stopped the bleeding just long enough to allow the Falcons to get back in the game.  With three runs in the 3rd inning and 4 runs in the 4th inning, the Falcons found the score knotted at 8-8 to begin their final at bat in the bottom of the 5th inning.  After a hard lineout to third, a hit batsman and a fielder's choice, the Baby Falcons were down to their last out, with Rafael Betances on first base.  Another hit batsman would move Betances to second for sophomore Matt Figueroa (3-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B), who would deliver the game winning base hit, driving in Betances and completing the Falcons second dramatic comeback of the day.  Strong offensive performances were also delivered by Basto (2-2, 2 R, RBI, BB) and Collin (2-3, R, 3 RBI, 2B).