FSCJ wins NJCAA Division II Region 8 Baseball Tournament

NEW PORT RICHEY, FLA. - After a challenging week of postseason baseball that consisted of four games in four days and multiple weather delays, the Florida State College at Jacksonville Blue Wave reigned victorious in the NJCAA Division II Region 8 Baseball Tournament hosted by Pasco-Hernando State College. The tournament was a double-elimination format between the four teams of NJCAA Division II Region 8 - Palm Beach State College, Pasco-Hernando State College, ASA College Miami, and Florida State College at Jacksonville, and lasted from Thursday, April 28th, until Sunday, May 1st. This takes the FSCJ season record to 28-18.

Opening Round (April 28) - FSCJ 7, Palm Beach 6

In the opening game of the tournament, FSCJ took on Palm Beach State College in the 2 seed vs 3 seed contest that proved to be a wild back-and-forth affair. PBSC struck first with the leadoff batter of the game hitting a solo home run. FSCJ responded in the bottom of the opening frame on a Barry Eiseman RBI single to tie the game at one apiece. Palm Beach regained their one run lead on back-to-back doubles in the fourth inning, making the score 2-1. The Blue Wave exploded in the bottom of the fifth inning with four runs of their own, scoring on another Eiseman RBI single, an Evan Wickeri RBI double, and a Garrett Chun two-RBI single to lead 5-2. Palm Beach again used the longball to push runs across, tying the game at 5-all on two home runs in the sixth. FSCJ answered that score with two runs of their own in the sixth inning on back-to-back RBI groundouts by Jayme Villafane and Cam Wademan. The Panthers mustered one final run but could not overcome the deficit in the ninth, leaving the Wave with a hard fought 7-6 victory. Daniel Gaviria (6-2) started on the mound, going 8.2 innings, allowing six runs and striking out four. Patrick Groark came with the tying run on third base in the ninth and got the final out to preserve the win and record his eighth save. Eiseman and Blake Wood provided multi-hit games at the plate. 

Second Round (April 29) - FSCJ 8, ASA 6

After advancing to the winner's bracket game, FSCJ matched up with ASA Miami for the Friday night contest. The game was delayed two hours due to rain and did not start until 9:00 pm. Light night baseball proved to be worth it, as the fireworks ran early and often. FSCJ pushed two runs across early in the bottom of the first inning on a Barry Eiseman RBI double and a Garrett Chun RBI single. ASA cut their deficit in half on a solo homer in the second. The Blue Wave erupted for five runs in the bottom of the second with a Cam Wademan two-RBI double, Xavier Cintron RBI groundout, and Chun two-RBI double. ASA began to chip away, with two runs in the fourth and one in the sixth. Mason McLeod coerced a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the eight to give FSCJ its final run of the game and an 8-4 lead into the final inning of play. The Silver Storm homered again in the ninth, but FSCJ clinched the game 8-6. Brian Veniard (6-2) started for the Wave, going five strong innings, allowing one earned run (three total) on five hits and four strikeouts. Colby Lipovsky was brilliant out of the bullpen, with the ninth inning homer being the only blemish in 2.2 strong innings of relief that saw no walks and two strikeouts. Patrick Groark recorded his second save in as many days, getting the final two outs just after midnight. Eiseman had a monster night at the plate, going 3-for-3, with Chun and Blake Wood having multi-hit games as well. 

Third Round (April 30) - Pasco 13, FSCJ 6

FSCJ went into Saturday night's contest in the driver's seat, needing only one more win in two tries to secure the Region 8 Championship. Pasco jumped out in front early, scoring three runs each in the first and second inning off of Blue Wave starter Dylan Dudones in 1.2 innings to take a 6-0 lead. The lead grew to 7-0 in the third, before FSCJ made a mighty attempt at a comeback, scoring six runs in the fourth to make it 7-6 on a plethora of free passes and timely hitting. The runs scored on a Blake Wood bases loaded walk, a balk, a Hunter Bradshaw RBI single, a Jayme Villafane RBI single, a Barry Eiseman bases loaded walk, and a wild pitch. Following that inning, a four hour rain delay ensued. After resuming the game, the score held until the Bobcats tacked on a solo homer in the seventh inning and put the game away with five runs in the eighth. Sophomore outfielder Tyler Green urged a much needed spark into the Blue Wave team, coming in relief of Dudones to pitch 5.1 innings and only allowed two runs, saving the bullpen in the process. Bradshaw had a multi-hit game for FSCJ.

Championship Game (May 1) - FSCJ 9, Pasco 2

It all came down to championship Sunday in a winner-take-all game between FSCJ and Pasco-Hernando. With depth thin and bodies tired on both sides, it would truly prove to be a team effort to take the championship. PHSC pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Evan Wickeri broke up the PHSC perfect game bid with a game-tying solo home run in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, FSCJ plated five runs to take a massive edge in momentum and gain a 6-1 lead on a Barry Eiseman two-RBI single, a Garrett Chun two-RBI single, and a wild pitch. A Jack Gidcumb RBI single tacked on another in the eighth before a no doubt big fly two-run home run by Eiseman in the ninth sealed the game. On the mound for the Blue Wave, it was an all-hands-on-deck rotation, with Thursday starter Daniel Gaviria coming back on short rest to pitch the first two innings before Dylan Dudones bounced back strong after the previous day, throwing four shutout innings and earning the win (3-2). Colby Lipovsky threw a perfect seventh inning and Patrick Groark came on for the third time in four days to finish the game. Groark inherited a bases loaded with no outs situation in the eighth inning, but got a strikeout and a double play to get out unscathed. He pitched the ninth as well, and the dogpile ensued, as the Florida State College at Jacksonville Blue Wave won the NJCAA Division II Region 8 Championship, clinching a region title for the first time since 2000. 

What's Next?

FSCJ will travel north to compete in the South Atlantic District Championship Series against the winner of Region X (VA, NC, SC) on May 13-15. The opponent is TBD as Region X holds their region tournament this weekend. This is a super regional type setup, as a best two-out-of-three series. The winner of this series will advance to the NJCAA Division II World Series in Enid, Oklahoma.