After an early season filled with skeptics who believed it would not be possible, Monsignor Edward Pace High School’s (Pace) varsity baseball team defied the odds to become the 2018 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 5A State Champions.
Last year, the team saw 14 of their seniors graduate and head off to college, while new transfers joined from various local schools. Building a good dynamic among the new team proved to be a difficult task as they faced six loses in their early season. After much hard work, team building and motivation by head coach Tom Duffin, the team began to unite both on and off the field.
On April 10, the Spartans played and defeated La Salle High School, kicking off a 19 game winning streak against schools like Mater Lakes Academy, Cardinal Gibbons, Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Gulliver Prep.
In the Regional finals, the Spartans faced and defeated North Broward Prep, a win that propelled them into the FHSAA’s Final Four in Fort Myers, where they first beat Avon Park High School (4-3), in a nail biting State Semifinal match.
This led the Spartans to the final State Championship game on June 2 against baseball powerhouse, Bolles High School of Jacksonville, Florida. Pace was seeking revenge for the state title game loss to Bolles in 2016.
It was a slow start for the Spartans who were down 4-2 throughout the first five innings. In the sixth inning, the Spartans pulled together as they had many times throughout the regular season, and found their window of opportunity. Not only were they able to tie the game (4-4), but they continued the momentum bringing in a total of eight runs within the same inning, and bringing the final score to 10-4. The team’s last title was earned in 2006, and this is the Spartans seventh State Championship in the school’s history and Duffin’s second championship as head coach at Pace.
The Spartans were loaded with a talented roster for the 2018 season.
Senior pitcher Yordani Carmona was named Pitcher of the Year for Class 6A-2A and The Miami Herald All-Dade First Team.
Pace junior infielder Luis Tuero, Robert Moya, senior outfielder Kenny Gonzalez, and senior outfielder Michael Montes also made the All-Dade teams.
Among a crowd of fans, the Spartans rushed to the pitcher’s mound in celebration as they received their individual medals and the coveted State Championship trophy which will be displayed as a reminder of the team work that brought these 2017-2018 Spartans to a victorious season.