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Tournaments  | Story  | 6/20/2016

Palm Beach Select takes FL title

Vincent Cervino     
Photo: Perfect Game


FORT MYERS, Fla. – Palm Beach Select defeated the Florida Legends 10-6 in the championship game of the 2016 Perfect Game 16u Florida State Championship. In a high-scoring affair, Palm Beach reached on 10 hits and scored in three separate innings to claim the victory.

Daniel Perez-Battistini, the No. 4 first baseman in the state of Florida for the class of 2018 and an attendee at the Junior National Showcase last week, started on the mound for Palm Beach and he struggled through 1 1/3 innings pitched. He threw 32 pitches, 50 percent of which were thrown for strikes, and allowed four runs to score and surrendered the early lead to the Legends.

The scoring for the Legends started in the first inning thanks to an RBI groundout from Gabriel Garcia. The second inning started with a sacrifice fly from Axel Gomez and Austin Pollak contributed with a two-run single. An error by the shortstop scored Pollak increased the lead to 4-0. That was the end of the day for Perez-Battistini as he was replaced by Alec Mendez.

The scoring would begin for Palm Beach in the top of the third inning. As the defense fell apart for the Legends, runs continued to score for Palm Beach. A throwing error from the second baseman plated two runs and a third scored on an RBI groundout.

The lead was overcome in the top of the fifth inning as Palm Beach exploded for a six-spot. Kian Anderson started the scoring off with a two-run single to left field. Angel Tiburcio, the No. 10 righthanded pitcher in the state of Florida for the class of 2018 and a UCF commit, brought in another run on a bases loaded single to left. Another error from the second baseman scored the fourth run of the frame and Angel Diaz capped off the inning with a two-run single of his own.

Mendez came in and threw 3 2/3 solid innings for Palm Beach. He allowed only two earned runs to score, allowed one hit and struck out three batters on the day. Roberto Pena, the No. 5 third baseman in the state of Florida for the class of 2018, added the final insurance run for Palm Beach to bring the run total to 10. Pena also closed out the game by tossing two scoreless innings by only allowing one hit.

The MV-Pitcher of the tournament was George Aguilera of the Florida Legends. Aguilera tossed seven innings, allowing one earned run, only one hit and struck out six. The MVP of the tournament was Danny Hernandez of Palm Beach Select. Hernandez hit .471 and scored eight runs with one RBI.

The Florida Legends defeated Florida Stealth Red 4-3 to advance to the championship game. Osvaldo Berrios-Flores came into the game in the fourth inning and shut down the Stealth offense. He struck out four and allowed zero hits or runs to keep the Legends in the game. Austin Pollak led the offense going 2-for-3 with two RBI, including the walkoff single in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Palm Beach Select advanced from the semifinals after defeating the Florida Canes 6-0. Jose Zamora led the way on the mound for Palm Beach as he threw a complete game shutout, struck out four and only allowed five hits. Palm Beach took advantage of errors by the Canes as they scored three unearned runs.


2016 16u PG Florida State Championship runner-up: Florida Legends 16u



2016 16u PG Florida State Championship MVP: Danny Hernandez



2016 16u PG Florida State Championship MV-Pitcher: Geroge Aguilera