Vote now: Who should be the South Florida baseball Player of the Week (3/18/2024)?
A major upset and many thrilling games highlighted the week of South Florida baseball.
First, let’s start with what happened in the Florida Panhandle. On Saturday night, top-ranked Marjory Stoneman Douglas lost, 5-4, to Lincoln Tallahassee, snapping the Eagles’ winning streak at 59 games.
Had the Eagles won, they would have tied the Florida state record for longest winning streak of 60, set by Calvary Christian Clearwater (2017-18).
Before the setback, Stoneman Douglas won two straight in its long trip.
Back in South Florida, there was plenty of thrilling games, highlighted by Doral Academy getting by Westminster Catholic. American Heritage and Key West played in a thriller, as did Taravella and NSU University, and St. Thomas Aquinas at Archbishop McCarthy.
Those were just some of the thrillers on tap.
Now, it’s time to recognize the standouts in our SBLive Sports Florida South Florida baseball Player of the Week poll.
As always, our polls are intended to be fun, while providing recognition to as many players and schools as possible.
Vote as often as you’d like, and please help us by spreading the word. Voting concludes on Sunday, March 24 at 11:59 p.m.
Rafael Diaz of Columbus.
Congratulations to last week's winner: Rafael Diaz of Columbus.
Here are this week's nominees:
Mark Aleman, LHP, American Heritage Plantation: The Patriots had a hectic week, playing three straight games, and winning two of them. Against John Carroll Catholic Fort Pierce, Aleman allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings on two hits and struck out seven. The southpaw didn’t walk a batter.
Samuel Alonso, P, True North Classical Academy: The Titans upset American Heritage, 2-1, with Alonso making a huge impact, striking out eight in three scoreless innings.
Abrey Biscardi, OF, Nova: The Titans won a wild, 8-7 extra-innings affair against Cooper City. Biscardi delivered a two-out, two-run, walk-off double.
John Bishop, SS, Chaminade-Madonna: In an 8-5 win against Westminster Academy, Bishop homered and added a two-run single. Bishop also had a hit and an RBI against Everglades.
EJ Burns, RHP, Taravella: The Trojans are riding a six-game winning streak. Burns stepped up on Saturday, tossing a complete-game shutout. The Florida Gulf Coast commit allowed just one hit.
Anthony Ciscar, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas: In a gutsy performance at Archbishop McCarthy, Ciscar (Miami commit) worked 6 2/3 innings, giving up two runs with five strikeouts.
T.J. Gramesty, C, North Broward Prep: The Florida Atlantic recruit had three hits, two doubles and three RBIs against Benjamin. And he drove in two more runs on a hit in a 9-6 victory against Oxbridge Academy West Palm Beach.
Bryce Huffman, 1B, Western: The Wildcats had an11-run fifth inning to run-rule Everglades. Huffman connected on a two-run homer in the inning.
Keniel Marrero, INF, South Broward: The Bulldogs upended a talented McCarthur squad, 6-2, with Marrero hitting two home runs, while driving in four.
Yuniel Paredes, Monsignor Pace: The sophomore had a home run and three RBIs in the Spartans’ 3-2 win against Miami Christian.
Landon Petty, RHP, NSU University: The Sharks went on the road and defeated Gulliver Prep, 3-1, backed by Petty, who turned in a complete game, allowing one run with five strikeouts.
Dylan Prince, INF, Miami Christian: Prince had a home run and two RBIs in a lopsided win against Hialeah Gardens.
Alejandro Puig, SS, Pembroke Pines Charter: Committed to Dartmouth, Puig came up with two hits and the shortstop scored two runs in a 10-1 win against Nova.
Dylan Rubenstein, SS, Sagemont: A senior, Rubenstein had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored in the Lions’ 9-4 win against Covenant Day (N.C.).
Mathew Rios, RHP, Columbus: The junior struck out four in five shutout innings in a 2-0 pitchers’ duel against Flanagan.
Gio Rojas, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas: The sophomore struck out nine and allowed one earned run (two total) in five innings in a win over nationally-ranked Farragut Knoxville.
Braden Rosenthal, RHP, Calvary Christian Academy: The junior right-hander struck out nine, and gave up one run in six innings in a 2-1 win against Coral Springs.
Ignacio Salaverria, INF, Doral Academy: In one of the biggest games in Miami-Dade County, Doral Academy defeated Westminster Christian, 5-3. Salaverria had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI.
Bruno Schafer, 3B, Flanagan: The senior had a double, home run and four RBIs, and delivered the walk-off homer to beat Coral Springs, 11-9.
Brendan Trujillo, RHP/1B, Cardinal Gibbons: In a busy week, Trujillo belted a home run and drove in two against Somerset Academy Pembroke Pines. And as a pitcher, he fanned six in five scoreless innings in a win over Covenant Day (N.C.).
Darwin Vargas, C/INF, Gulliver Prep: A sophomore, Vargas had two doubles and four RBIs in a 13-1 blowout of Miami Country Day.
