Palm Beach County baseball digest: Newman's controversial no-no, Mazza's milestone and more
Cardinal Newman's Sam Lovitz may or may not have pitched a no-hitter last week against American Heritage-Plantation.
Either way, the junior right-hander took a hard-luck loss, and the Crusaders saw their 13-game winning streak come to an end.
The debate over Lovitz's no-hitter came in the fourth inning. Heritage-Plantation's Lucas Ramirez, the son of former MLB star Manny Ramirez, hit a pop fly to shallow left field. Newman left fielder Gabe Acevedo charged the ball, but it glanced off his glove, allowing Ramirez to reach base. Ramirez eventually scored the deciding run in a 2-1 victory.
Newman's scorekeeper charged Acevedo with an error. Heritage-Plantation, technically the official book since the Patriots were the home team, scored it a hit.
"It wasn't a hit," Newman coach Joe Russo.
As far as Russo is concerned, Lovitz finished with a no-hitter. The University of Florida commit pitched six innings (the Patriots did not have to bat in the seventh), giving up two unearned runs, walking three and striking out five against the defending Class 5A state champions.
"I've seen it happen before," Russo said of pitching a no-hitter and losing. "I've been on both ends. We made too many mistakes – a bad pickoff throw, passed balls, they stole some bags. We gave them some free 90s."
The loss ended the county's longest winning streak this season. It began, ironically, after a 7-5 loss to Plantation-American Heritage. Over the next five weeks, the Crusaders rallied for three one-run victories and beat West Boca Raton, Benjamin, Martin County and Miami-Pace, among many others.
"It was fun," Russo said. "That's tough to do. Now I can get a haircut."
Russo and his coaching staff, bowing to baseball superstition, vowed they wouldn't get haircuts as long as the streak continued.
Two nights after the no-hitter/one-hitter, the Crusaders' losing streak reached two when they dropped a 7-5 decision to Boca Raton. With a week left in the regular season, Russo wants to get his team ready for the District 11-3A tournament and beyond, with an eye toward the state final four in Fort Myers.
"Now we can focus on finishing out the year, setting up our pitching," he said. "I feel good about where we're at, but we always feel like we can get better."
Mazza's milestone
Carm Mazza, who started the baseball program at American Heritage-Delray in 1999, has had plenty to celebrate this month.
First, he posted his 500th career victory when Heritage defeated Naples-Aubrey Rogers 5-1 on April 13. Second, he watched the Stallions climb over .500 with two more victories last week, pointing them in the right direction as the playoffs approach.
Mazza's road to 500 wins included five trips to the state final four and two appearances in the state championship game. He lost perhaps his best chance at a title in 2020, when the pandemic halted the season with the Stallions 11-0 and ranked nationally by MaxPreps. The 2020 pitching staff was considered one of the deepest and most talented in county history.
"Looking back now, everything's kind of like a flash," Mazza said, reflecting on his career. "That's a big number. It means a lot, not for me personally, but for all the kids who have been involved with the program, all the families."
Mazza is one of only two active coaches in Palm Beach County to reach the milestone. Russo has 580 victories in 29 seasons at Palm Beach Gardens and two at Cardinal Newman.
Mazza's more immediate concern is getting the Stallions (12-10) ready for the postseason. They've had to overcome the loss of shortstop Anthony Tralongo, an Auburn commit, to a season-ending shoulder injury. Last year's ace, Dane Rossi, is healthy again and joins Joey Abbazia to give them two dominant starters.
With five victories in their last six games, the Stallions appear primed to contend for a District 13-4A title and potentially make a deep playoff run.
"Hopefully we're getting our feet under us at the right time," Mazza said.
No tying in baseball?
Neighborhood rivals Dwyer and Palm Beach Gardens got a chance to play on the big stage Friday afternoon – Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, spring training home of the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with the underdog Gators taking a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Dwyer's Jackson Miller tied the score with a run-scoring double, sending the game into extra innings.
The teams battled through a scoreless eighth … and then it was over.
With a Florida State League game scheduled that evening, stadium officials required that the teams be off the field by 4:45 p.m. When the eighth inning ended at 4:38, there wasn't sufficient time to play another inning.
"Ties don't belong in baseball," Gardens coach Matt Judkins said. "It kind of leaves a sour taste in your mouth."
Playoff watch
With a week left in the regular season, coaches are keeping an eye on the MaxPreps/FHSAA rankings to see where their teams stand in terms of receiving an at-large bid to the regional playoffs.
The same coaches admit they don't know how those rankings are determined, since the methodology is cloaked in secrecy.
In Classes 2A through 7A, eight teams qualify in each region – four district champions and the four highest-ranked teams remaining. Based on the most recent rankings, here's where the Palm Beach County contenders stand if they don't win a district title.
We'll go with NCAA basketball tournament terminology to make things a bit clearer (current rankings and regions in parentheses).
Tickets punched: Jupiter (1 in 3-7A), Dwyer (2 in 4-6A), Cardinal Newman (2 in 3-3A), Benjamin (3 in 3-3A).
Likely in: Park Vista (4 in 3-7A), Palm Beach Central (5 in 3-7A), West Boca Raton (6 in 4-6A), Suncoast (6 in 4-5A), American Heritage-Delray (6 in 4-4A).
On the bubble: Wellington (7 in 3-7A), Palm Beach Gardens (9 in 3-7A), Santaluces (11 in 3-7A), Boca Raton (7 in 4-7A), St. John Paul II Academy (6 in 3-3A), St. Andrew's (8 in 3-3A), King's Academy (9 in 3-3A).
Week 9 standouts
Will Bavaro, Park Vista: Hit a three-run homer with two outs in the seventh inning to lift the Cobras to an 8-6 victory over Palm Beach Central.
Drew Buchanan, Benjamin: Went 5-for-8 and scored four runs in victories over King's Academy and St. John Paul II; struck out the last two batters to earn the save against SJP.
Brady Crawford, Boca Raton: Went 6-for-10 with a double, triple, home run and seven RBIs in victories over Wellington, Chaminade-Madonna and Cardinal Newman.
Alessando Gonzalez, Atlantic Christian: Went 3-for-4 with a triple, home run and five RBIs, and pitched a five-inning complete game with seven strikeouts, in an 11-1 win over Berean Christian.
Liam Heady, Jupiter Christian: Pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings to close out a 1-0 win over Boca Raton Christian, then started against Glades Day three days later, throwing six innings and striking out nine in a 4-1 victory.
Brady King, Suncoast: Pitched a complete-game no-hitter, walking two and striking out 10, in a 5-0 victory over Oxbridge Academy.
Trevor Malloy, Santaluces: Went 6-for-7 with three doubles, walked four times and scored three runs as the Chiefs went 3-0.
Dovydas Raciunas, Spanish River: Pitched a complete-game two-hitter with six strikeouts in a 1-0 win over West Boca Raton.
Erick Soto, Trinity Christian: Went 2-for-5 with a grand slam, double and five RBIs in a win over Reborn Christian Academy.
Carlo Vasquez, Oxbridge Academy: Went 4-for-4 with a double and two RBIs in a victory over Berean Christian; for the week, went 6-for-10 with four RBIs.
Week 10 top games
Monday
Benjamin (13-7) at Jupiter (16-7), 5:30 p.m.: Two of the county's best tune up for the playoffs.
Spanish River (13-9) at Santaluces (13-10), 6:30 p.m.: Both teams mounting a late-season playoff push.
Tuesday
North Broward Prep (19-3) at West Boca Raton (14-9), 6:30 p.m.: Bulls playing county's toughest schedule.
Thursday
Park Vista (13-10) at Suncoast (18-5), 6:30 p.m.: Could be an Ethan Mattison vs. Brady Benevides matchup.
Friday
St. Andrew's (8-7-1) at King's Academy (9-10), 6:30 p.m.: Scots making a big second-half run.
Rick Robb's top 10
Cardinal Newman (17-5-1)
Dwyer (17-5-1)
Jupiter (16-7)
Suncoast (18-5)
Boca Raton (16-7)
Benjamin (13-7)
West Boca Raton (14-9)
Park Vista (13-10)
Palm Beach Central (13-10)
Spanish River (13-9)
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County baseball digest: Sam Lovitz tosses controversial no-hitter
