Walk-off grand slam ends Mustangs season

TAMPA — This season, the Lakewood Ranch High baseball team averaged 7.9 runs a game.

Likewise, Tampa Jesuit also averages about eight runs a game.

And heading into the Class 4A-Region 3 semifinals May 6, the two teams had identical 24-6 records.

Lakewood coach Mike Mullen knew it was going to be a battle. But after watching his players put up seven runs on their way to a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, he had confidence that sophomore pitcher Brett Hanewich and the rest of the Mustangs defense could close the deal.

But in the game of baseball anything can happen — and what was supposed to be three quick outs and a berth in the regional finals turned into season-ending disappointment.

Hanewich, who had been in control for most of the game, took the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning. But Jesuit’s hitters finally got to Hanewich, stringing together four consecutive base hits, which resulted in two runs.

“I came out there with a lot of adrenaline (because) we had a four-run lead, and I was excited,” Hanewich said. “We just didn’t come up with a good outcome. It’s tough.”

Left-hander Phil Dilandro came on in relief of Hanewich, and two batters later, Jesuit first baseman Max Beerman hit a walk-off grand slam to deep center field, capping off a six-run seventh inning and ending the Mustangs season.

“It was not a tough decision to bring Brett back,” Mullen said. “He was cruising. He had just peaked over 100 pitches, and this was his game.

“Brett pitched his heart out,” Mullen said. “He’s a tenth-grader pitching against a strong team. Phil has been effective for us all year, so there is never a doubt about him coming into the game. And I would pull the same string again without a doubt.”

As the Mustangs huddled together in disbelief, Mullen reminded them that in baseball, anything is possible; and sometimes no matter how hard you work, bad things happen.

“Baseball is a difficult game, and it teaches you life lessons,” Mullen said. “No matter how hard you work and how right you act, sometimes bad things happen, and I didn’t have the answer for that. But all we can do is walk out of here with our heads held high and hope that we earned some respect from some people.”

The game’s outcome was particularly heartbreaking for seniors Andrew McNett, Reggie Lindsey and Shane Davidson, who all played their final game in a Mustang uniform.

“If I could have my three seniors back again next year, I would give my right arm,” Mullen said of his first graduating class.

“We love them to death,” Hanewich said. “They’re a great bunch of seniors — all three of them. They had a terrific season. You can’t say one bad thing about them.”

The Mustangs fell behind 2-0 in the first inning, but Mullen never lost confidence.

“I think if you don’t have nerves then you don’t have heart, so I’m nervous every pitch,” Mullen said. “This team has scored seven or eight runs a game every game. We are scoring runs, so if they score one or two runs early on that doesn’t bother me at all because I know we’re going to get ours.”

Lakewood proceeded to tie the game in the top of the second inning on RBIs by Connor Lewellen and Andrew Norton.

McNett drove in a pair of runs, and Hanewich, Norton and Davidson also added RBIs to give Lakewood the lead.

McNett went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead the way for the Mustangs at the plate.

“It definitely helps knowing that your team is going to score runs, and you’re going to have some cushion going into innings,” Hanewich said.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].