Mustangs suffer heartbreaking loss in regional semifinals

The Lakewood Ranch High baseball team saw its season come to an unexpected end with a 9-7 loss to Tampa Jesuit in the Class 4A-Region 3 semifinals May 6.

Holding on to a 7-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Mustangs watched as the host Tigers strung together four hits off starting pitcher Brett Hanewich, resulting in a pair of runs. Two batters later, Tampa Jesuit’s Max Beerman hit a walk-off grand slam off reliever Phil Dilandro.

After falling behind by a pair of runs in the first inning, the Mustangs tied the game in the top of the second inning on RBIs by Connor Lewellen and Andrew Norton.

Lakewood added to its lead in four of the five final innings. Andrew McNett drove in a pair of runs and Hanewich, Norton and Shane Davidson also added RBIs for Lakewood.

McNett went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead the way for the Mustangs at the plate. Norton went 2-for-3 with a RBI, a run scored and a stolen base; and Seth McGarry went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.