Wielding their bats that have belted them to a 15-2 record, Barbara Goleman High’s baseball team wishes the 6A District playoffs started this week.
“We would love to play the district tomorrow,” said head coach Jose Lopez. “We are undefeated in district play.”
But the Gators will have to settle for closing out the regular season and competing in the GMAC before the district playoffs start in the third week of April.
By then, the Gators will know if they have won their 10th district championship in the past 14 years.
Their district game against then-second place Jackson High could be a sign of things to come in the district playoffs, a scintillating affair that had Gators’ fans on the edge of their seats.
Goleman trailed the Generals 4-0 in the fifth inning before orchestrating a 5-4 come-from-behind victory that kept the Gators atop the district.
Miami Springs (9-6) and Jackson (7-6) are seeking vengeance against Goleman in their final regular season while they still have the Golden Hawks and the Generals to play to close out the regular season.
Albeit anxious, Lopez said his team is not focusing on the postseason while they still have the Golden Hawks and the Generals to play to close out the regular season.
Senior first baseman Brandon Paez hopes to keep his bat hot during the last stretch of the regular season and playoffs. He’s batting .500 with 27 RBI, 26 hits and one dinger.
Center fielder Thomas Hernandez is also on fire for the Gators, hitting .519 with 16 RBI, 18 hits and one home run.
Junior third baseman Ramid Alvarez is hitting .419 with 16 RBI, 18 hits and one dinger.
Goleman’s precocious pitchers Mario Fernandez (1-0, 3.11 ERA in nine innings), and Adrian Garrastazu (4-2, 1.26 ERA in 18 innings) are keeping the opposing batters off balance, Lopez said.
Kevin Perez, who plays catcher and pitcher, is used to tossing his change-ups to confuse batters.
Goleman’s real test against Broward’s St. Thomas Aquinas last week was canceled due to a tornado warning.
The two teams were only able to play one inning before the game was called off.
“We wanted to play them badly because they are a very talented squad,” Lopez said.