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Jefferson advances to first state baseball championship

 
FORT MYERS - Jefferson shortstop Sal Vega gets ready to jump on home plate after smacking a two-run home run in the third inning of a Class 6A state semifinal against Clay Wednesday morning. Heading into the seventh inning Jefferson led 7-2. Taken 5-30-18 by Scott Purks
FORT MYERS - Jefferson shortstop Sal Vega gets ready to jump on home plate after smacking a two-run home run in the third inning of a Class 6A state semifinal against Clay Wednesday morning. Heading into the seventh inning Jefferson led 7-2. Taken 5-30-18 by Scott Purks
Published May 30, 2018

FORT MYERS — In the long history of Jefferson High School baseball, the Dragons had never been able to get past the state semifinals. In fact, they hadn't even been in a state semifinal since 1985.

That changed Wednesday when Jefferson defeated Green Cove Springs Clay 7-2 in the Class 6A semifinals at Hammond Stadium.

It is the first time all season that Clay (24-7) has lost by more than two runs. Jefferson (21-8) plays for the title Thursday at 4 p.m.

"In 78 years of history a state championship has always eluded us," said Jefferson interim head coach Pete Scaglione, filling in for Juan Fontela, who is serving a six-week suspension for getting ejected in the region quarterfinal vs. Land O'Lakes. "This is the first time for our guys. We're elated to be here. Hopefully we can bring this thing back to Jefferson and back to the city of Tampa."

The Dragons got another solid outing from starting pitcher Mike Dominguez and a five-run third inning. Dominguez, a junior, pitched five-plus innings, struck out 12 and allowed two runs. In each of the first three innings he allowed runners to reach second base, but was able to pitch out of the jams.

"I was kind of nervous in the beginning because it's win or go home," Dominguez said. "I just had to keep concentrating and getting outs. I knew my team would get some runs behind me."

The runs came in the third.

A.J. Mathis led off with a walk and Robby Martin followed with a single. Charlie Welch then hit a grounder to shortstop that was mishandled, allowing Mathis to score. With two outs, Ty Evans singled down the third-base line to drive in two runs and make it 3-0. Evans had been out since the Land O'Lakes game while serving a three-week suspension for a post-game incident.

"It feels good to get back out there," Evans said. "It was tough to not be out there but I kept supporting my teammates. I got the opportunity to get back. We had to score some runs there to back up Mike. Luckily, we did."

The Dragons weren't done. Freshman Sal Vega followed Evans' single with a two-run home run to leftfield that narrowly cleared the wall. It was Vega's second homer of the year.

"I was telling my teammates before the game that I was feeling it and I was going to park one right there," Vega said. "I worked the count and got the perfect pitch. (Clay pitcher Conner Solomon) threw me a strike and then a couple of balls and it looked like he was losing it. I got focused and hit the ball."

Clay chipped away with runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Jefferson grew the lead back to five in the sixth. Martin and Welch each had RBI singles in the inning.

Martin came on in relief with two on and no outs in the sixth inning. He got a double play and a line out to right to end the inning. Clay did not threaten in the seventh.

The bottom part of the Dragons' lineup did especially well. Vega, the seventh hitter, had the home run. Oscar Galvez, the eighth hitter, was 4-for-4. And No. 9 hitter Miguel Denson singled and scored a run.

"Since regionals the bottom of the lineup has come up big for us," Martin said. "When they are on and the top of the lineup comes up, it's usually going to be a good inning for us."