Jack Flaherty had his best day at the plate and Mike Flaherty had his best outing on the mound as Dr. Phillips Baseball blasted visiting Cypress Creek, 13-3, to snap a four game skid. Jack Flaherty headlined the offense, going 4-4 with three doubles and four runs scored while his brother Mike pitched five shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out three to pick up the win. DP (3-5) jumped on the Bears (6-2) immediately with four runs on five consecutive hits in the first inning. Ryan Larson led off the game with a single and went to second when Jalen Phillips lined a shot off the first baseman’s glove. Walker Haymaker followed with an RBI single to left to score Larson and Jack Flaherty lined a base hit to left as well to bring home Phillips for a 2-0 lead. Mike Flaherty’s high chop to shortstop resulted in an infield single that scored courtesy runner Hakim Nobles to make it 3-0 and Robbie Barrett brought in Jack Flaherty on a fielder’s choice for a 4-0 lead after one. In the third, DP tacked on two more. With one out, Jack Flaherty lined a double into the left-center field alley and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Mike Flaherty’s sacrifice fly pushed the lead to 5-0 before junior Dan Autiello belted a pitch over the left field wall for his first home run of the season. Down 6-0 in the fourth, Cypress Creek threatened to chip away at the lead with a runner on second and one out but a costly miscalculation on the basepath killed the rally. After Ryan Larson hauled in a deep fly for the second out, the runner took off for third but Larson rocketed a perfect line drive throw to third base for the inning-ending double play. Larson then flexed his muscles at the plate in the home half of the fourth with a one-out solo home run to give DP a 7-0 lead. In the fifth inning, Jack Flaherty led off with his second double of the game and went to third on a stolen base. After Mike Flaherty was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners, Daniel Rodriguez grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Jack Flaherty. Robbie Barrett followed suit with an RBI single to left and the Panthers headed into the sixth with a 9-0 lead. Cypress would get on the board with three runs in the top of the sixth but DP closed out the game with four runs in the bottom of the inning. After Hakim Nobles drew a walk, Jack Flaherty roped his third double into the alley to bring home Nobles. Mike Flaherty nailed a single to right field to bring in his brother, Daniel Rodriguez singled back through the box and both runners advanced a base on an ensuing wild pitch. With runners on second and third, Robbie Barrett ended the game with a two-run single to left for the 13-3 final. Ryan Larson finished 2-3 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI and Robbie Barrett went 2-3 with three RBIs. After a quiet stretch at the plate, the Panthers have scored 23 runs over the last two games. DP will close out the season series with Cypress Creek Friday on the road at 4:00 pm.
Senior Brad Bindas set the school record in the 169 pound class with a toal lift of 575 pounds and tied the clean and jerk mark at 260 lbs in Dr. Phillips’ split with Ocoee and West Orange. DP defeated Ocoee, 58-36, but fell to West Orange, 56-34. In addition to Bindas’ first place finish, Justus Griffith won the 119 pound class with a total lift of 350 pounds and Thomas Armstrong won the 154 pound class with a 460 pound total. Second place went to Jerome Howard in the 119 class (310 lift), Justyn Nakashima in the 139 class (425 lbs) and Trent Massey at 154 pounds with a total lift of 445 pounds.. Simon Sun placed third with a 350 pound total in the 129 pound class, as did Tadalion Colvin with a 495 total in the Heavyweight division. DP (3-1) will be back in action with tri-meets Monday at Edgewater and again Wednesday at Wekiva.
Softball hosted Cypress Creek and, unlike their previous two games, the Panthers couldn’t find the bats in a 9-0 loss to the Bears. Caityn Jones was the lone bright spot in the lineup, going 2-3 with a double. Jecoliah Pratt got the start and allowed just four hits over five innings, striking out four, but Cypress put seven runs on the board in that span to win going away. DP (9-3) will look to rebound at home Friday vs. Boone. JV Softball (3-4) won their second straight game, breaking a 4-4 tie with seven unanswered runs to defeat Cypress Creek, 11-4. They’ll host Boone as well Friday, kicking off the doubleheader at 4:00 pm.
Women’s Lacrosse battled back several times after being down to Richmond (VA) Collegiate but the Cougars pulled away for a 21-11 victory, dropping the Panthers to 3-2 on the season. They’ll travel to Cypress Creek Friday for a JV / Varsity doubleheader.
Junior Sydnei McCaskill and sophomore Taryn Griffey were named to the 2012 Women’s Basketball All-Metro West Conference team!
Today’s Games:
Tennis at East Ridge: 3:00
Men’s JV Lacrosse vs. Boone: 5:30
Men’s Volleyball vs. Wekiva: 6:00 / 7:00
Men’s Lacrosse vs. Windermere Prep: 7:00
Water Polo vs. Boone: 7:15 / 8:15
