By Beth Jones
The Pirates shut out the visiting Tornadoes 10-0 on Saturday in the Region 1-3A quarterfinal round. The Fernandina Beach High School baseball team (22-4) scored one run in the first inning and tacked on three each in the next three innings to take a 10-0 lead. Bay High School couldn’t muster a run in the top of the fifth, in a game shortened by the mercy rule.
“Saturday’s game against Bay was great,” said Jon Shave, head coach at FBHS. “(Preston) Matricardi only gave up one hit and, on offense, we had 10 hits and the boys were very aggressive on the bases.”
Lucas Hutchinson, Landen Holbrook, Trace Farmer and Conner Bayless had two hits apiece for FBHS. Holbrook had an RBI, Farmer had three and Bayless recorded two. Matricardi had a pair of RBIs.
Dalton Janey and Holbrook stole two bases apiece, and Farmer and Hutchinson each stole one.
Matricardi struck out three Bay batters en route to the win on the mound. Grady Stevens pitched one inning, giving up one hit and striking out two.
The Pirates are back home Friday with the Suwannee Bulldogs for the semifinal round. The first game starts at 4 p.m., and the second game will commence 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first matchup. Spectators will be required to leave the stadium between games.
If the teams split, a third game will be played at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“We are really excited to have Suwannee this week,” Shave said. “They are a strong team that has been tested this year with a very tough schedule. We’ve had a great week of practice, and we can’t wait to get this series started.”
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The Pirates hosted the Bay High Tornadoes Saturday in a region quarterfinal matchup. Photos by Penny Glackin/Special to Nassau NewsLine
