Long Ball

SARASOTA — Home runs are few and far between.

The bat has to make contact with the heart of the ball — the quintessential sweet spot.

Hit or miss.

And no one knows that better than Sarasota High senior Brandon Chapman.

The Sailors catcher and routine cleanup hitter had one home run heading into Sarasota’s Class 7A-District 10 championship game versus Braden River April 25.

But, when it comes to the playoffs, anything is possible.

With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Chapman sent a fastball over the center field fence for a three-run shot.

Chapman followed up his three-run home run with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning to help power the Sailors to an eventual 14-2 victory and their first district title since 2011.

“I knew they were gone coming off the bat,” says Chapman, who also hit a home run last season in the playoffs. “I was just excited. Playoff atmosphere and to be able to do that was just exciting.

“The first at-bat I got a good pitch to swing at,” Chapman says. “The second at-bat I was looking off speed, and he laid one in there and I just took advantage.”

Chapman went 3-for-3 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs.

“Brandon’s got good power,” Sarasota coach Clyde Metcalf says. “He got a couple of good pitches there. He didn’t try to do too much with them. The result was what we saw.

“That’s big for us in the first inning to get that home run,” Metcalf says. “Just to get that momentum. It’s hard to overcome that in a playoff game. That was a big swing of the bat.”

Sarasota scored runs in each of the first four innings, including four in the first inning and six in the fourth inning, with each player in the starting lineup notching at least one hit.

Pitchers Jordan Gubelman and Tyler Leonard held Braden River to two runs on six hits and two walks.

Sarasota scored its 14 runs on 15 hits and four walks. Matt Schlabach went 2-for-2 with a stolen base and three runs scored. Mason Dancer went 1-for-1 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored.

“I thought for a district championship game the kids played loose and really came out ready and got it started early, which was a big key for us,” Metcalf says. “It was nice to see our kids come out swinging the bat and get ahead.

“(Friday night) one through nine we hit, and if you can do that in the playoffs, you’re going to be tough,” Metcalf says. “Hitting like this can be contagious and get us on a roll, and hopefully it will.”

Sarasota played host to Tarpon Springs East Lake in the Class 7A-Region 3 quarterfinals April 30.

Results were unavailable as of press time Wednesday. Be sure to check YourObserver.com to see how the Sailors fared. The winner will face the winner of the other regional quarterfinal between Braden River and St. Petersburg Northeast in the regional semifinals May 6.

“We just try to take it like any other game,” Chapman says. “We’ve done well all season, and we’re just going to try and continue to do the same thing.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].