Lynn Haven Mosley needed four attempts to beat Archbishop McCarthy in a state title game, but the Dolphins finally pulled off the feat on Wednesday.
While Archbishop McCarthy was one of the dominant programs in Florida from 2010-2017 — winning seven titles in eight seasons — the Mavericks beat their common Panhandle foe in state championship games three times. Archbishop McCarthy had a four-year absence from the state tournament, and when they returned, Mosley came out on top, beating the Mavericks 9-2 at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.
“[The seniors] have been with me from the start,” Archbishop McCarthy coach Aaron Vorachek said. “They’re the reason why we’re back, why McCarthy’s back here. And they’re the reason why we’re going to come back again. I told my younger guys we’re going to win one, if not more. But these guys are the reason why.”
Despite the final score, the teams could not separate themselves through the first four innings. The Mavericks had an opportunity to get on the board early when Mosley starter Hudson Rowan struggled to find the plate.
Rowan, a sophomore, walked three of the first four batters he faced, loading the bases. But the Mavericks couldn’t make good on their opportunity, leaving the bases loaded without scoring a run. Archbishop McCarthy left six players on base during Wednesday’s game.
After that first inning, the Mavericks struggled to mount another rally. They had only two baserunners from the second through the sixth inning.
For the first four innings, Archbishop McCarthy starter Adrian Vega matched Rowan, throwing four scoreless innings to start the game. In the fifth, he ran into trouble. Rock Holland singled to start the inning, and Ethan Campbell laid down an attempted sacrifice bunt. Vega fielded the bunt and tried to get the runner out at second, but he threw wildly, allowing both runners to reach.
Center fielder Jaden Rudd put the Dolphins on the board with a two-run double. Another error and a wild pitch allowed Mosley to push two more runs across, and the Mavericks went into the bottom half of the inning trailing by four.
“All my stuff was on today; I was feeling good on the mound,” Vega said. “That fifth inning was kind of rough. I threw that ball to second, we made that error, but even after that, I felt good.”
Mosley rallied again in the top of the seventh, adding five runs to their tally and taking a 9-0 lead. Archbishop McCarthy launched a last-ditch rally of its own, scoring a pair of runs on a single by shortstop Antonio Jimenez and a hit-by-pitch. But Mosley cut Archbishop McCarthy’s comeback attempt short, getting the last out on a groundout to third.
“I came to this school to come and compete for a state championship, and it’s great to at least be here, back here four years later,” Vega said. “I really think these guys, these young kids, are going to be back in it next year and the year after that. We’ve got a bright future for this program.”
