FHSAA Playoffs: Long Ball Leads Mosley to Final Four

Thu May 23, 2019
Phil Kerber
PBR Florida/JUCO Wire



JACKSONVILLE, FL - The Mosley Dolphins made the long trip from Panama City to Jacksonville on Wednesday evening to take on Paxon SAS Eagles in a Class 6A Regional Final. The game set up a duel of two of the top pitchers in north Florida: RHP Lebarron Johnson (Paxon SAS, 2020; Florida) and LHP Ryan Pettys (Mosley, 2019; Florida State). But, it would not be the pitchers who were the stars of the game. The Mosley offense put up 14 runs on 14 hits to overpower Paxon SAS 14-3 in five innings.

The two aces did not disappoint out of the gates. Johnson came out in the first inning and was dominant with his fastball, running it up to 91 mph. He blew his fastball past the first two batters of the game before Drew Yeager (Chattahoochee Valley CC recruit) drove a fastall into the left center gap for a double. Johnson regrouped though. He snapped off one of his best curveballs of the night to record his third strikeout of the inning and end any threat.


Pettys was just as impressive. The crafty lefty allowed a leadoff single, but that was of little consequence to him. Pettys showed off a deceptive pickoff move that quickly caught the runner looking. He made quick work of the next two batters, getting a groundout to second and then a strikeout on an 89 mph fastball.


However, neither pitcher would show the form after the first inning. Command issues and fatigue forced moves to the bullpen by the end of the fourth inning. The game opened up for Mosley in the top of the fourth inning with the score tied 2-2. Jaden Rudd (2021) broke things open with bases loaded two-run single through the right-side of the infield, and the flood gates opened.


A sacrifice fly by Mason Smith (Gulf Coast CC recruit) gave the Dolphins a 5-2 lead with two outs. Johnson was able to work a ground ball back to him, but an errant throw to force extended the inning for Mosley. Blake Vineyard (Coastal Alabama CC recruit) made them pay immediately with an RBI double. Then, Trent Justice (Marion Military Institute recruit) turned on one deep into left field to clear the bases for a two-run home run, but they were not done yet. Shane Skibba joined the party and roped a line drive over the field fence that got out of the park in a hurry. When the dust had settled, Mosley led 10-2.

Paxon SAS were able to get one run back in the bottom half of the inning, but it was all Mosley again when they came up in the top of the fifth. The Dolphins strung together five hits, three of them for extra bases, in route to four more runs in the inning. The lead 14-3 lead would be too much for the Eagles as Mosley would end up the game on a 6-4-3 double play.

 

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