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Miami Herald
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Miami Springs' Roque and Estevez are Miami-Dade Baseball 4A-1A Players of the Year
Kevin Roque and Magdiel Estevez are best of friends. They have been since childhood. So it was only appropriate that they would be the Miami Herald's Class 4A-1A Pitcher and Player of the Year respectively, as they graduate together and move on to the next steps in their lives. After winning the award a year ago as a pitcher for Mater Academy, Roque turned the trick again this year after transferring to Miami Springs last summer. Only this time he had some extra hardware to go with it, a state championship medal around his neck and a ring on the way as well. Thanks to an outstanding season that saw him go 12-1 with a 1.54 ERA, Roque, along with his pal Estevez, led the Golden Hawks to a 28-3 record and made some history as they brought the school its first state championship in any sport since 1988. 'A state title and pitcher of the year, what a way to end my high school career, like right out of a dream,' said Roque, who recorded 88 strikeouts against just 28 walks and was the winning pitcher in the team's state semifinal win over Fort Myers Bishop Verot. 'I love pitching and I'm going to keep chasing. It's a dream and when you have a dream, you chase it. I'm looking forward to the next challenge and take a bigger step.' That challenge recently changed for Roque. He committed to Nova Southeastern more than a year ago but switched gears a few weeks ago and will now follow Estevez to play for coach Lazaro Llanes at Miami-Dade College in the fall. For all of Roque's season-long heroics, Estevez contributed on both the mound, as the team's No. 2 pitcher but also, even more importantly at the plate. When he wasn't pitching, 'Mags' as his teammates like to call him, was playing left field and, on a team that struggled offensively during the regular season (.273 team average), was coming through in a big way with his bat. Estevez hit .418, and while he hardly hit for power (only 13 of his 38 hits were extra bases), he constantly came up with key hits at key moments. He only had 19 RBI but batting No. 2 in the lineup can hold down RBI chances. 'I didn't really look at what others did and tried not to worry about it,' said Estevez when asked about the pressure of carrying his team's offensive load. 'I just went out there and did my best. You really can't control what everybody else is doing. It was a matter of keeping the faith, doing my best and hoping the rest of the team would catch up to me which they did once we got to regionals.' Ironically, if it hadn't been for Roque, Estevez could've made an argument for Pitcher of the Year himself as he finished with a 9-1 record, 1.41 ERA and struck out 74 against just 19 walks. Asked how Miami-Dade College's coaches are projecting him, Estevez said that hasn't been determined yet but admitted that his heart might be on the mound. 'I'm not sure, we're still going to have to figure that out,' said Estevez who was brilliant in the championship game against Santa Rosa Beach South Walton firing a complete game 2-hitter. 'At some point, it's a fork in the road and you have to go one way or the other. As a lefty, I feel I have a big advantage and I think with a lot of work and concentration I could do very well as a pitcher.'
Miami Herald
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Columbus' Rios, Mater's Rosario, Doral's Milano are Dade 7A-5A Baseball Players of the Year
Columbus' Mathew Rios, Mater Academy's Alfrin Rosario and Doral Academy's Gabriel Milano - all seniors - all shared a common trait during their respective high school careers. Each often found a way to deliver when their teams needed them most. For their accomplishments this season, the three earn the Miami Herald's Miami-Dade Baseball Player of the Year honors. Rios and Rosario share the honors of being the Dade Co-Pitchers of the Year for Classes 7A-5A. And thanks to a prolific bat and strong defense, Milano is the Dade 7A-5A Player of the Year. Rios, a South Alabama commit, was the clutch ace at the top of Columbus' rotation once again this season. An already deep pitching staff, Rios went 8-3 and struck out 70 in 66 innings pitched while maintaining a 1.27 ERA. For two seasons, Rios pitched in the biggest of games for the Explorers and led them back to the Class 7A regional semifinals after another 20-plus win season. Unfortunately for Columbus, its bid to reach the state final four fell short for the second year in a row in that round thanks to West Broward. 'I'm very happy with the way the season went even though I wish we could have made it to Fort Myers,' Rios said. 'Hopefully in college, I'll have the same success I had in high school. I'm eager to compete and prove to everyone what I can do.' Rosario filled a similar role for Mater Academy both on the mound and at the plate this season, leading the Lions to their first state championship since 2014 and second ever. He compiled a 1.51 ERA and struck out 71 batters in 60 ⅓ innings while hitting .380 with five doubles and 15 RBI. Rosario, who will play at Western Oklahoma this fall, closed out the final inning of Mater Academy's state title-clinching victory against Fort Myers and gave up only one run in 6 ⅓ innings while striking out seven in a state semifinal win against Wesley Chapel. 'It was a dream (winning a state title),' Rosario said. 'I hadn't won one, but it was worth it finally happening my senior year to wrap it all up.' Milano won't have to go too far to play his college ball as he has signed with the University of Miami. Milano showed what a versatile infielder he could be with great defensive skill and a prolific bat. Milano had a career season at the plate, hitting .520 with 11 home runs, 13 doubles and 42 RBI to lead the Firebirds to the Class 6A regional finals before losing to eventual state champions Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas in the decisive game of a best-of-3 series. 'It was a rough ending, but I'm proud of the boys and everything we were able to accomplish,' Milano said. 'The program at Doral is special and top notch and I learned so much from my coaches there.'
Miami Herald
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Mater Academy's second ever state baseball title meant more than just a trophy and medals
Player dogpiles after winning championships typically happen on the mound. It started that way Saturday afternoon for the Mater Academy baseball team. But after the Lions realized second baseman Eiker Noguera had still not gotten up after making the final out of the season in short right field, they all got up and piled on their emotional teammate. If there's a 'heart and soul' of Mater Academy's team, it's Noguera, a senior, who fittingly went 2 for 3 with an RBI and, even more appropriately, caught the game-ending pop up to seal the Lions' 6-1 victory over Wesley Chapel and the Class 5A state championship. 'We always knew this was the goal,' Noguera said. 'We're blessed.' Mater Academy (24-9-1) secured its first state championship since 2014 and the second ever for its program. Noguera dropped to his knees and put his face in the grass where he laid for several seconds after making the clinching catch, letting the happy tears flow. After emerging from the pile of Mater players, Noguera never let the ball go. He carried it with him as the team celebrated. He held it up for all to see as he and his teammates lined up along the third base line to accept their medals and later their state championship trophy. Noguera said he's keeping the ball forever. But the victory meant more to him and the Lions than just the hardware they collected Saturday at Hammond Stadium. It was about honoring someone special to them who couldn't be there in person. 'This is all for this man, whose name is on this wristband here,' Noguera said postgame pointing at a black wristband with the name, Isaul Olivera, that he placed, along with the baseball he caught, atop the table where he sat in the postgame interview room. Olivera, a former assistant coach at Mater Academy, passed away suddenly from a heart attack in January 2023 when Noguera was a sophomore. Noguera said the Lions plan to visit Olivera's grave on Tuesday and plan to take the ball and the trophy with them. 'We played for him and fought to honor him and we wanted to bring it home for him,' Noguera said in Spanish as his teammate, Alfrin Rosario, translated to English for the reporters present. 'We believed in ourselves and kept fighting. We knew what we had. Everything that happened brought us more together and that's why we're here now.' After the Lions spent so many games this season, coming back to win games, they were the ones who led throughout Saturday's game. Noguera opened the game with a single to kickstart a three-run first inning, highlighted by Bryan Arrieta's two-run single and an RBI double by Rosario. Noguera, who had five hits combined in the two games this week at state, drove in Jeuri La Rosa in the second inning with an RBI single to make it 4-0. Rosario pitched 6 2/3 innings, and gave up nine hits, but only one run and three walks, while striking out seven. Rosario allowed two runners to reach base in four different innings, but closed each out with a strikeout. Aside from the third inning, when he allowed the Wildcats their lone run on a bloop single by Cole Ranchel, Rosario escaped unscathed. 'I like being in those jams sometimes. Coaches don't like it, but that's why people think I'll be a closer in the future,' Rosario said. 'One of the reasons I like pitching is I like to have the ball and be involved in every play. This was a great way to end it as a state champ.' When the final ball hit by a Wesley Chapel (19-15) batter in the seventh sailed high and right over Noguera, Mater coach Humberto Bencomo said he had no doubt he would catch it, giving the Lions the perfect ending to their season. 'I knew that ball could hit a bird or anything, and it was not going to be dropped,' Bencomo said. 'These guys have fought and been through a lot, but we signed up for this since day one and said we were going to do it, and we did.' Noguera gave an impassioned speech, expressing his gratitude to his teammates and coaches, after Mater Academy beat Varela last week to clinch a berth in the state final four. The Lions overcame a rough start to the season, which saw them lose five of their first six games, and put a season that began with high expectations in doubt. But Mater Academy found its stride in late March and rolled through the 5A playoffs on its way to Fort Myers. 'These guys are great and I always reminded everyone we were fighting for something else, day after day, practice for practice and showing them what Mater meant to us,' Noguera said. 'It was more than a team. We're a family. This is incredible.'
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Mater Academy brushes off early deficit to advance to 5A state baseball final
Mater Academy learned early this season not to give up no matter how far behind they were in a baseball game. At one point in early March, the Lions put together three consecutive walk-off victories in games where they were either behind by three or more runs or trailing in the seventh inning. So a 5-0 deficit after three innings on Thursday at the state final four didn't do much to faze the Lions. 'We've been in situations like today all year so we knew we could come back and score,' said Mater Academy catcher Jacob Amador, who finished with two hits. 'We chipped away and chipped away and punched back.' Mater Academy answered with three runs in the fourth and four more in the sixth to erase that deficit and come away with an 8-5 victory over Fort Myers in a Class 5A state semifinal at the Lee Health Sports Complex - Hammond Stadium. The Lions (24-9-1), who made it to state for the first time in a decade, earned the opportunity to play for their first state championship since 2014 and second ever for their school. Mater Academy, the No. 2 seed, will face No. 4 seed Wesley Chapel on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the 5A final. The Wildcats (19-14) upset top seed Tallahassee Lincoln, 7-2, in the other semifinal on Thursday. Mater Academy, which started the season losing five of its first six games, is riding the momentum of a 10-game winning streak. 'There was a bit of frustration, but once we got those couple of runs, we exploded,' Mater Academy coach Humberto Bencomo said. 'I knew it was going to happen, but I was just worried that we'd run out of time. It's not how they wanted to start. They wanted to take control from the start, but we're playing good teams. This is the final four.' The Lions began chipping away at their five-run deficit in the bottom of the fourth when they caught a bit of a break on a deep ball, hit by Dylan Fernandez, which carried over the head of Green Wave right fielder Luke Fleming to the wall. Mater senior Alfrin Rosario, who walked with one out, scored on a ground out by Bryan Fernandez. Some aggressive baserunning led to two more runs as Mater Academy effectively pulled a double steal twice, allowing Dylan Fernandez to score when the throw to second went into center field. On the second double bag swipe, Eiker Noguera took second, allowing courtesy runner Robert Bencosme, who was running for catcher Jacob Amador, to score. In the fifth, Mater knocked Fort Myers starter Owen Augustine out of the game after Bryan Arrieta doubled and junior shortstop Brandon Lorenzo, a University of Florida commit, singled with one to cut the Green Wave's lead to 5-4. After Rosario walked and stole second and Lorenzo stole third, reliever Brady Best was called for a balk, sending Lorenzo home and tying the game. A Bryan Fernandez sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Amador put Mater ahead 7-5. The Lions fell behind quickly when starter Jeuri La Rosa struggled, allowing three runs on four hits and a balk in the top of the first. La Rosa would give up another run in the next inning, and seven hits overall before being pulled for reliever Vladi Baldepina, who often is Mater's closer. Baldepina allowed one run in the third on an RBI single by William Davey, but proceeded to shut the door on Fort Myers (22-12) for the next three innings. Baldepina tossed 4 ⅓ innings, allowing four hits and four walks and striking out seven. 'It's a team effort, but I know I have guys behind me that go out there and compete,' Baldepina said. 'When you who's playing for you, it make things easier. You just go out and do what you do and execute.' Noguera finished with three hits and Amador had two while Bryan Fernandez had two RBI. Mater added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Noguera doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Yoelkis Quevedo. Rosario then took the mound in the top of the seventh after Baldepina gave up a leadoff single to Fleming. After hitting Alexander Mankin with a pitch to put two runners on with no outs, Rosario was helped by his defense, which made a couple of great put outs including a diving stop by Lorenzo to save a run and record the second out when he threw out the speedy Madrid Tucker at first base. Mater sealed it when Quevedo, an FSU commit, made another strong throw from the third base side to retire Michael Magas on a ground out. In the prior inning, Noguera battled exhaustion and the heat, but remained in the game, and made another key defensive stop. 'He's definitely invited to my wedding,' Baldepina said with a laugh. 'He's my best man.' Rosario added about Noguera: 'He's a dog. He shows a lot for how little he is and what a huge heart he has. We all follow his lead.'
Miami Herald
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Mater Academy outlasts Varela to secure first trip to state baseball final four since 2014
Nearly three months ago, Mater Academy shortstop Brandon Lorenzo was dealing with an injury and unsure when he'd be back on the field. The Lions were 1-5 and questioning how good a team which entered the season with high expectations really was. On Thursday night at Westland Gardens Park, Lorenzo hit a grand slam and later ran around the field celebrating with his teammates and coaches after the final out was recorded on a 10-8 victory over Varela. If you would have told Lorenzo this scene would play out three months earlier, he might not have believed it. 'I knew we could flip the page at any moment,' Lorenzo said. 'We did. I really believe in my guys. They're like family to me.' The victory secured a 2-0 series win for the Lions (23-9-1) over the Vipers (20-10-2) and the Region 4-5A championship. It also propelled Mater Academy to the state final four for the first time since it won its lone state championship in 2014. The Lions will face either Fort Myers or Braden River next Thursday at either 10 a.m. or 1 in a state semifinal at Hammond Stadium. 'We played a great team in Varela, but hey, I'll take my guys into battle any day,' Mater Academy coach Humberto Bencomo said. 'We faced a lot of adversity, people looking at each other, even us as coaches, we were pointing fingers and trying to figure out what was going wrong. Once we got into March, we started playing at home and we started playing better.' Following a 5-2 victory over Varela in the first game of the series on Tuesday, the Lions found themselves trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning. But Mater put together a major response, scoring nine runs, highlighted by Lorenzo's grand slam. Earlier in the inning, Lorenzo hit a double to right field and came around to score on another double by Alfrin Rosario, which opened the scoring in that frame. Lorenzo had two doubles overall as he went 3-for-3 with four RBI. Jonathan Esponda also went 2-for-4 with two RBI and Jacob Amador went 2-for-3. 'It was just me and the pitcher and the ball,' Lorenzo said. 'They were pitching me fastball all day, and I proved to them that I could hit the fastball with two doubles in the first couple of innings so they came with a curveball in that at-bat and I hammered it. I got close the first two times, but I did some pushups in the dugout and got a little extra juice for that one.' The Vipers, who made it to the regional final for the first time, were resilient themselves, as they put together three runs in the top of the fifth to chase Mater starter Jeuri La Rosa after he gave up seven runs on 10 hits over 4 ⅓ innings. Nick Baluja led Varela, going 2-for-3 with two RBI while Jiovanni Zara had two RBI and Luis Sosa had a double. The Lions called upon closer Vladi Baldespina early with the goal of recording the final eight outs. Although he allowed one more Varela run in the sixth when Armando Mendez scored on a wild pitch, Baldepina limited the damage and later worked a perfect seventh to end the game. 'He's been hungry and dealing with a few little things,' Bencomo said. 'This is where it counted.' Mater Academy's tough early stretch led to a positive turn which saw the Lions win eight of their next nine. Bencomo said a major turning point was a road trip in late March to play in a tournament in Las Vegas where Mater swept all three games and finally had its full lineup including Lorenzo. 'That's when we really took off,' Bencomo said. 'We played incredibly over there. It was so many things, hitting, defense, everything. This is amazing.'
