A member of the Cambridge baseball team since he was an eighth-grader, Matt Fishman wasted no time identifying his best game.
"Today,’’ said the senior leftfielder. "Definitely today.’’
Fishman made a huge run-saving defensive play late in the game and stroked the game-winning, two-run scoring triple as Cambridge beat Sarasota Christian 3-1 in the Class A region quarterfinals. But it wasn’t easy for Cambridge (23-4), which has reached the Class A state title game the last two seasons.
The Lancers uncharacteristically struggled with baserunning early, getting three runners picked off. And an error in the third inning eventually resulted in Sarasota Christian taking a 1-0 lead.
But despite the early miscues and an opportunistic opponent, Cambridge had a big factor in its favor: ace Peter Miller was on the mound. Miller, a FSU signee who also draws pro scouts in droves, was dominant, striking out seven while allowing four hits. Miller had a hiccup in the third, when he walked three batters and gave up a hit that scored the game’s first run.
But his defense came up big late in the game. Cambridge tied the game in the fifth when Logan McDougall walked and made it home on two passed balls, but the Blazers seemed poised to take the lead right back in the sixth.
With Sarasota Christian runners on first and second, Cambridge third baseman Zac Gilcrease scooped up a ball to start a double play. With a runner still on second one batter later, Fishman made his acrobatic catch on a ball hit deep to left field to get out of the inning.
The Lancers took the lead for good a half-inning later when Fishman went to the opposite field, banging his triple that scored Gilcrease and McDougall.
Bay area’s best performances
King (Tampa) pitcher Devin Smith had a stressful start and ending to the Lions’ Class 5A region quarterfinal baseball game against Manatee.
But the junior right-hander had nothing closely resembling it in the middle innings as he dominated on the mound and got just enough offense as King held off Manatee 3-2.
Smith gave up two of his three hits in the opening inning as two of the game’s first three batters tagged him for long singles. And when Manatee pitcher Josh Clemen hit a deep sacrifice fly to left field, the Hurricanes quickly led 1-0.
After retiring Manatee batters in order every inning from the second to the fifth and facing just four in the sixth, Smith shook off the home run. He struck out the game’s last two batters – a total of three in the inning and six in his complete-game effort.
"He struggled in the first,’’ said King coach Jim Macaluso, whose squad posted nine hits but left nine runners on base. "He’s a wound-up type of kid. Sometimes the emotions are flowing a bit too much. But he really threw well and our defense backed him up."
Wharton (Tampa) pole vaulter London Enos was impressive at the Class 4A state track and field meet. Enos set a personal best with a vault of 11 feet, 6 inches – a full foot-and-a-half higher than her closest competitor. The victory earned Enos her second straight state pole vaulting championship.
East Lake (Tarpon Springs), East Bay (Gibsonton) and Canterbury (St. Petersburg) all advanced to the state softball Final Four in their classifications. East Lake topped Sickles (Tampa) 1-0 in eight innings to advance to their second straight state semifinals. East Lake (26-2) will face Niceville in a Class 5A semifinal meeting.
East Lake could face East Bay in the final. A 2-0 winner against Bartow in the region finals, East Bay (22-7) advanced to the state semis and will play Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer for a shot at a state championship. Meanwhile, Canterbury lost 5-4 to Eagle’s View (Jacksonville) in the Class A state semis. Canterbury (21-8) fell behind 5-0 but staged a rally, scoring twice in both the fifth and sixth and threatening in the sixth before coming up just short.
Recruiting news
Indian Rocks Christian (St. Petersburg) swimmer Nick Alonso has signed with College of Charleston. Alonso set or helped set 10 records during his prep swimming career at IRC. He has records in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles, 100 back, 100 breast, 100 butterfly and 200 IM. And, he was a part of record-setting relay teams in the 200 and 400 free and 200 medley.
Meanwhile, Shorecrest (St. Petersburg) quarterback Hunter Tremaine has signed with Furman University in Greenville, S.C. Tremaine. A Class A All-State selection last season as a senior, he ran for 1,220 yards and scored 14 touchdowns in 2009.
St. Petersburg basketball player Gabriel Moton has signed with Air Force. A guard, Moton averaged 17 points and five rebounds a game while helping St. Petersburg to a district title and a Class 6A region final appearance.
And East Lake (Tarpon Springs) volleyball player Andria Tagarelli has signed with Augusta State. A libero, Tagarelli was a four-year starter at East Lake.
Other area happenings
Several Bay area baseball teams are one victory away from advancing to the state semifinals.
In the Class 6A region finals, defending state champion Alonso (Tampa) plays at West Orange (Winter Garden). In Class 5A, Seminole plays at King (Tampa) in one region final while Armwood (Seffner) hosts Lake Wales in another.
In Class 4A, perennial powerhouse Jesuit (Tampa) plays at Mariner (Cape Coral) and Hernando (Brooksville) plays host to Dunnellon.
Tampa Catholic hosts Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) in the Class 3A regional final round and in Class 2A, Shorecrest Prep (St. Petersburg) travels to Bishop McLaughlin Catholic (Spring Hill).
And Cambridge (Tampa), which has been the state runner-up the past two seasons, plays at Trinity Christian Academy (Lake Worth) for a chance to advance to another state Final Four.