St. Pete Times - June 6

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Sports Section:

All-Pinellas baseball team

Coach of the Year | Don Reed, Shorecrest

The veteran coach led a young team that had just one senior starter to the school's first state tournament appearance since 1991, and its first state championship game since 1989.
Pitcher of the Year | Marc Brakeman, So., Shorecrest
Brakeman was the workhorse of the Chargers staff, throwing 76 innings and either starting or making an appearance in each of the team's final four postseason games, including the state championship game against Miami Westminster Christian. Brakeman ended up with some impressive numbers, leading the county in strikeouts with 115 while posting a 1.75 ERA.
Most impressive accomplishment: In big games, Brakeman was at his best. He had 12 strikeouts against Bishop McLaughlin in the region final to secure Shorecrest's first state tournament appearance since 1991. And against Seminole in a tournament, Brakeman also had 12 strikeouts in seven innings.
Did you know? Brakeman has played varsity for Shorecrest since the seventh grade.
Future plans: Brakeman will play with travel teams in the summer and fall to prepare for his junior season with the Chargers

Honorable mention:
Shorecrest: Spencer Heath, Tyler Larson, Brent Rasmussen, John Rothwell

St. Pete Times - May 26

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Sport Section, May 26, 2010

Class 2A state baseball: Westminster Christian tops Shorecrest 6-0 to claim title

PORT ST. LUCIE — It was not that Shorecrest was bad in Tuesday's Class 2A state championship game.

It was just that Miami Westminster Christian was so good.

The Warriors, the defending 2A state champions, had more power, more big-time experience and more of most other good things.

The Chargers, who were in the state title game for the first time since 1989, tried to keep the score close. But they lacked the big hit, missed scoring opportunities and simply wore down.

With all those pluses on one side and minuses on the other, the final quickly turned in Westminster Christian's favor. The Warriors won 6-0 for their 10th state title, one behind Key West for the most in state history.

"Westminster has a heck of a ballclub," Shorecrest coach Don Reed said. "We battled all the way, but they were just outstanding."

When the Chargers played in the state final in 1989, they beat Westminster.

A repeat performance seemed possible, at least through the first two innings. Shorecrest ace Marc Brakeman used his fastball and curveball with proficiency, keeping the Warriors off-balance and off the scoreboard.

Brakeman allowed just one hit and struck out four in the first two innings.

But Westminster (28-6) is known for producing big numbers. In Monday's state semifinal, the Warriors scored nine runs in the fourth inning of a 13-5 win.

On Tuesday, the big inning came in the third.

Westminster turned a scoreless game into a 4-0 lead, sending eight batters up and getting three hits, including back-to-back triples by Joseph Stuart and Stephen Fernandez.

"We knew from watching them the day before that Westminster could score runs in bunches," Reed said. "They're strong up and down the lineup, and when they get on a roll, they're tough to beat. We did a good job of preventing anything really big, but it was hard to come back after they put up four runs."

Trying to play catch-up, the Chargers struggled offensively against Warriors starter Julian Loret de Mola, who pitched a two-hit shutout and allowed just five baserunners.

"Everything was coming off the end of our bats," Brakeman said. "Their pitcher was very accurate."

Shorecrest (23-9) made contact off Loret de Mola, striking out just three times. But the Chargers' two hits were singles, and they had just three runners in scoring position.

"This is the first game where I felt control of the ball the whole time," Loret de Mola said. "My defense made a lot of plays behind me, and once we got the lead, my confidence went way up."

The Warriors added a run in the fifth and seventh innings.

About the only suspense at the end was whether Westminster slugger David Thompson would break the state record of 20 home runs in a season. Thompson, a sophomore who entered the game with 19, had two hits but never went deep.

"(Shorecrest) kept the ball down a lot more against me," Thompson said.

Westminster Christian moved past Tampa Catholic for the second-most state titles.

"We were just about coming back here and having another crack at winning one," Warriors coach Emil Castellanos said. "There's a lot of tradition here, and we're just one away from tying Key West."

The Chargers, meanwhile, can take solace in knowing that all players but one return next season.

"We'll be back," said Shorecrest sophomore Jason Kiracofe, who pitched the final three innings of relief.

St. Pete Times - May 25

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Sports Section, May 25, 2010

2A state baseball: Shorecrest takes small-ball approach, beats Jay 5-3 in semifinals

PORT ST. LUCIE — Shorecrest is the epitome of a small-ball team. The Chargers score runs by doing the little things — bunting, stealing, hitting-and-running, advancing runners with productive outs — that contribute to the manufacturing of runs as opposed to mashing them.

So it was with great joy that the Chargers found out Monday’s Class 2A state semifinal against Jay was delayed 1½ hours because of rain. That meant a wet field, something Shorecrest knew it could take advantage of by making Royals defenders work that much harder to get outs with its style of play.

In the first inning, everything played out perfectly. Shorecrest scored four runs off six hits, five of which were singles. There was one sacrifice bunt and one steal.

It was just enough for the Chargers, who held on for 5-3 victory. Shorecrest (23-8) advances to today’s championship at 4 p.m.

“The first inning was key,” Shorecrest coach Don Reed said. “We wanted to come and put pressure on them. The field was still a little wet and I’m sure there were some jitters for the other team being on the field first.

“Fortunately, everything worked out well for us. It’s huge to have a 4-0 lead before you have to take the field.”

The Chargers, who have hit just two homers as a team all season, got singles from John Rothwell, Brent Rasmussen, Marc Brakeman, Jon Oorlog and Jason Kiracofe in the first inning. Three of those hits resulted in runners beating out throws. The hardest hit came on a double by Tyler Larson.

“We weren’t able to take infield because of the delay and the wet field,” Jay coach Jorey Diamond said. “(Shorecrest) took advantage of the situation. Give credit to them. That’s what good baseball teams do.”

The run support was big for Larson, who started on the mound for the first time since the region quarterfinals May 4. Larson got through a scoreless first inning before allowing two runs in the second.

“I went out there and tried not to be nervous,” Larson said. “I feel like I was locating everything extremely well.”

The Chargers added an insurance run in the fourth inning to make it 5-2. Jay cut it to 5-3 with a run in the sixth.

After that, Brakeman relieved Larson. The only trouble Brakeman encountered was in the seventh when he gave up consecutive singles with two outs. But he got out of that jam by striking out the next batter to end the game.

STATE FINAL FOUR Final Game - Shorecrest vs Westminster Christian

Tuesday, May 25
Shorecrest 0, Westminster Christian 6

The Chargers lost a hard fought game to a very good Westminster baseball team in the Florida High School State Championship game.

The Westminster Warriors scored 4 runs in the 3rd inning to take a 4-0 lead. They scored 1 run in the 5th and 1 run in the 7th.

The Chargers made good contact throughout the entire game at the plate and only struck out twice. They hit some balls extremely hard. Westminster made a number of great defensive plays to rob hitters of base hits not only in the infield but also balls that were hit deep in the outfield that looked like to be for sure base hits.

The Chargers also played very good defense. They did not commit an error in the game. In fact neither team made an error in the entire ball game.

Westminster Christian Warriors came into the game leading the state of Florida in home runs with 58 in the year. One player had 19 home runs in the year which tied the Florida High School state record for home runs. Marc B. and Jason K. both pitched very well for the Chargers and did not allow a ball to leave the park during the game. Coach Reed said Westminster Christian was the best hitting high school team he's ever seen. Marc B. struck out 6, allowed 5 hits and 5 runs in 4 innings. Jason K. struck out 3, allowed 3 hits and 1 run in 3 innings.

The Chargers played hard throughout the entire game and never gave up. This is what they would do in each and every game through the year. The coaches are extremely proud of the outstanding year that the players had in finishing 2nd in the State of Florida. The team made tremendous improvement during the year and just kept getting better and better and was playing their best ball at tournament time. This was because of the great work ethic and the passion that they have for the game and their desire to be successful.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Jon O. with 1 hit, 1 walk and 2 stolen bases
Brent R. with 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 stolen base

The Chargers' fan support during the State Final Four tournament and throughout the entire season was just unbelievable. All in all this made for a great 2010 baseball season at Shorecrest.

STATE FINAL FOUR Semifinal Game - Shorecrest vs Jay

Monday, May 24
Shorecrest 5, Jay 3

In the first game at Port St. Lucie in the State Final Four tournament the Chargers played small ball in the 1st inning against Jay. John R. led off with a base hit, stole 2nd. Brent R. bunted for a base hit. Marc B. lined a base hit into right field to drive in the 1st run of the game. Jon O. bunted for a base hit and drove in a run. Jason K. bunted for another hit to score another run and Tyler L. doubled down the left field line to drive in the 4th run of the inning to give the Chargers a 4-0 lead. In the 2nd inning Jay fought back scoring 2 runs to cut the lead to 4-2. Andrew R. reached on an infield error to start the 4th inning. Jake B. sacrificed and reached on an error with Andrew R. going to 3rd base on the play. The 5th run of the game scored on a ground ball double play to give the Chargers a 5-2 lead. Jay scored a run in the 6th inning and with a runner on 1st base Marc B. came in to pitch in relief and retired the 1st hitter on a ground out to 2nd. The next hitter got a base hit. Marc B. then struck out the next batter to end the inning with runners on 1st and 2nd. The Chargers ended the inning with a 5-3 lead. Jay tried to lead in the bottom of the 7th inning and had runners at 1st and 2nd base with the tying runs on base. Marc B. came through and got a strike out to end the rally and to end the game to give the Chargers a 5-3 lead and they advanced to the State Championship game to be held on Tuesday, May 25.

Tyler L. was the winning pitcher working 5 1/3 innings of outstanding baseball. He had a great command of his pitches and was able to keep the hitters off balance by changing speeds. He allowed only 1 earned, 5 hits, 3 strikeouts and didn't walk a batter. Marc B. picked up the save with 2 clutch strikeouts.

The Chargers made a number of great defensive plays on defense. Andrew R. made an outstanding play turning a double play on a ground ball. He also made a good play on a ground ball that took a bad hop to throw the batter out. Jon O. made a great defensive play at 1st base on a ground ball. Brent R. made a very good play at shortstop as well.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
John R. with 1 single, 1 double, 1 run scored and 1 stolen base
Brent R. with 1 hit and a run scored
Marc B. with 1 hit, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Jon O. with 1 hit, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Jason K. with 1 hit and 1 RBI
Tyler L. with 1 double and 1 run scored
Spencer H. with 1 hit

All in all it was a great win for the Chargers, they played extremely hard and battled all the way. They are looking forward to playing in the Championship Game.

St. Pete Times Online Edition - May 20

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Online Sport Section:

With his successful stint at Shorecrest, retirement's not in the cards for coach Don Reed

ST. PETERSBURG — Don Reed was playing in the half-century softball league in 1999 when a teammate mentioned there was an opening to become the head baseball coach at Shorecrest Preparatory School.

Reed certainly did not need the job. He had just finished his 13th season managing in the prestigious Cape Cod League, a summer wood bat league for pro prospects. Reed finished his career there with a league-record 334 wins and coached players who would go on to be among the best in the majors, including Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Albert Belle, Carlos Pena, Frank Thomas, Mo Vaughn and Robin Ventura.

And Reed had already watched his two sons, Jeff and Curt, play college and professional baseball. Jeff played 16 seasons in the major leagues, was on the 1990 Reds team that won the World Series and caught Tom Browning’s perfect game.

It was time for Reed to retire. Or so he thought. He was not actively pursuing another coaching job but the thought of teaching kids at the high school level intrigued him.

So he took a chance.

“I really liked the school and it had some baseball tradition,” Reed said.

Now, after 12 years at the school, Reed, 70, has guided the Chargers to their first state tournament appearance since 1991. On Monday, Shorecrest (22-8) faces Jay in the Class 2A state semifinals at Digital Domain Field in Port St. Lucie.

“It’s turned out to be a great decision for me,” Reed said. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

At first, many wondered why Reed would do this to himself.

On one hand, the explanation is easy: No man who has ever coached is entirely happy unless he is standing on a practice field.

Most of all, though, Reed wanted to prove that he can still get the job done on the field. He wanted to show he can give life to yet another baseball operation.

And he has demonstrated that as wedded as he is to his spectacular past, he also is a coach for the 2000s, just as he was a coach for the 1980s and ’90s.

“Don came here with a great track record and a ton of experience,” said Shorecrest football coach Phil Hayford, who also served as athletic director when the school hired Reed. “He may be a little bit older, but I still think he can relate to the players. He has the team in the state tournament. I think that says a lot about the job he is doing.”

Reed intended to do things his way when he took over, but he also wanted to make sure his approach would reach players in this generation.

“I think Coach is really good at what he does,” Shorecrest outfielder Jake Brandenburg said. “He has a lot of knowledge about the game and that’s something we all respect. And he knows how to get his message across to us.”

The Chargers have gotten to this point because of superb pitching, great defense and timely hitting, all staples that helped make Reed successful in the Cape Cod League.

Reed also has gotten a lot of support from his family. Last week, Jeff flew down from Tennessee to help his dad conduct practice. Curt will travel to Port St. Lucie for Monday’s state semifinal, as will Reed’s wife, Shirly. The two have been married for 45 years.

“There has been great support from the school and especially from my family,” Reed said. “It really has been a lift for me.”

When the season ends, whether Shorecrest wins a state title or not, Reed will already be looking ahead to next year.

He has no plans to retire.

“I’m not one of those guys who can sit back and rock in a rocking chair while passing the time away,” Reed said. “I plan to keep coaching for as long as I can.”

St. Pete Times Online Edition - May 18

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Online sports section:

Bottom of the order takes charge for Shorecrest

ST. PETERSBURG — Shorecrest has made it to the Class 2A state tournament with an offense that relies on smart hitting.

Some of that comes from the heart of the Chargers’ order. John Rothwell is a reliable leadoff guy who can spray hits all over the field. Others at the top and middle of the lineup know their way around the batter’s box, too. Shorecrest’s 2-3-4-5-6 hitters (Brent Rasmussen, Marc Brakeman, Spencer Heath, Jon Oorlog, Jason Kiracofe) have all been productive, either getting on base or clearing them.

It’s all part of a relentless offense that has scored a combined 28 runs since the district tournament began two weeks ago. But what really has put Shorecrest on top has been the bottom of the order that keeps coming through in key situations in the postseason.

The last three hitters (No. 7 Tyler Larson, No. 8 Andrew Roy, No. 9 Jake Brandenburg) have provided enough evidence to show the Chargers are more than just those at the top of the lineup.

Against Bradenton St. Stephen’s, Brandenburg had the tying hit that forced extra innings and lifted Shorecrest to a victory that sealed the No. 1 seed in the district. In the region semifinal against rival Northside Christian, Roy had the winning hit in the seventh inning.

And in last week’s region final against Bishop McLaughlin, Larson hit a two-run double that tied it. Brandenburg followed two batters later with what proved to be the winning single in a 3-2 victory.

“The bottom of our order has just been humongous for us,” coach Don Reed said. “These guys have really battled and come through with so many big hits when we’ve really needed them.”

Thanks to the contributions from the bottom of the lineup, Shorecrest has a balanced lineup that is difficult to attack.

One of the reasons the last three hitters have been so productive is because the top and middle of the order have been getting on base.

“I feel like we’re really solid up and down the lineup,” Brandenburg said. “It seems like everyone is getting key hits. The guys at the bottom of the lineup are doing well because we’re seeing good pitches. We have a lot of guys on base and we see a lot of fastballs and we’re taking advantage of them.”

The ability to score a lot of runs and get them in key situations has been a big lift for the Chargers’ top two pitchers.

“I know I have to keep as few runs off the scoreboard as possible,” said Brakeman after last week’s region final victory. “But I know we can always catch up because we have the offense that can rally when we need it.”

St. Pete Times - May 15

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Sports Section:

2A baseball: After almost 20 years, Shorecrest gets back to state

SHADY HILLS — There were times when Marc Brakeman was off his game.

The Shorecrest sophomore allowed five hits, including a double. He walked one batter. He almost hit another.

But when the Chargers needed Brakeman to make a big pitch, he would reach back and throw one that disappeared below an unsuspecting hitter's bat.

Pretty soon, it was the seventh inning, and Brakeman was still out there, still mowing them down.

Bishop McLaughlin had a fighting chance against Brakeman's worst pitches. But the Hurricanes were no match for Brakeman's best, and as a result, Shorecrest squeaked by with a 3-2 victory in the Class 2A region final.

The Chargers (22-8) advance to the state final four for the first time since 1991.

"Brakeman made the right pitches at the right time," Shorecrest coach Don Reed said. "He had his curveball and fastball working and battled with everything."

Brakeman was efficient and economical in the first four innings, striking out seven and facing 15 batters on just 57 pitches.

Then in the fifth inning, the Hurricanes found some offensive life when Cy Beermann led off with a single. Mitch Ritter, a pinch runner who came in for Beermann, stole second, stole third and went home on an error.

Bishop McLaughlin (20-10) added another run on a double by Dre Leal that brought home Mike Bennett, who reached on a fielder's choice.

But the Chargers answered in the top of the sixth.

Spencer Heath was hit by a pitch and John Oorlog drew a walk to start the sixth inning. Jason Kiracofe followed with a sacrifice bunt to move both runners. Tyler Larson, the No. 7 hitter, then tied the score with a two-run double.

Two batters later, No. 9 hitter Jake Brandenburg had what would be the winning hit, a single that drove in Larson.

"I knew we were capable of rallying and the bottom of the order came up huge for us," Reed said. "They did a good job of battling."

Brakeman took care of things after that. He retired the side in the final two innings, including three straight strikeouts to end the game.

"I realized it was up to me in the last two innings to get us to state," said Brakeman, who finished with 12 strikeouts.

"I was able to pull it together and get it done."

REGIONAL FINALS - Shorecrest vs Bishop McLaughlin

Friday, May 14
Shorecrest 3, Bishop McLaughlin 2

The Chargers won one of the best played High School games you could ever want to watch. There was outstanding pitching, great defense, timely hitting and tremendous effort on the field.

Marc B. worked 7 innings of dominating baseball striking out the side in the 7th inning and 5 of the last hitters he faced. He struck out a total of 12 for the game, allowed 5 hits, 1 earned run and walked only 1. Marc had a great fastball and a sharp breaking curve ball and had very good location.

Jake B. made a sensational catch in deep left centerfield and turned it into a double play to snuff out a possible rally. Brian K. made a great play in right field on a ball hit to him. He charged it extremely well, fielding it on 2 hops, and threw the batter out at 1st base to rob him of a base hit. Brent R. made 2 great defensive plays at shortstop and Tyler L. made a leaping one handed catch of a line drive.

The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the 5th and Bishop McLaughlin scored 2 runs to take a 2 run lead. The fighting Chargers battled back with 2 runs in the top of the 6th inning. Spencer H. was hit by a pitch and Jon O. worked the pitcher for a base on balls. With 1 out and runners on 2nd and 3rd base, Tyler L. was down in the count 0 balls and 2 strikes, he battled back by fouling off 3 pitches and working the count to 3-2. He then lined a hard hit double into the outfield to drive in 2 runs to tie the game 2-2. After a ground out and Tyler L. at 3rd base, Jake B. lined a base hit into the outfield to drive in the game winning run to give the Chargers a very exciting 3-2 Regional Championship win.

The baseball team and the coaching staff would like to thank all the Charger fans that were at the game to cheer the team on. There was no doubt they were the 10th man and they were a big part of the team's success.

The Chargers will play Jay High School in the State Semi Finals in Port St. Lucie at 10:00 am on Monday, May 24th with the Championship Game being played on Tuesday, May 25. The game will be played at the Mets Major League Spring Training Stadium.

The Boys of Spring - by Lori Roy

Following is a wonderful memory that Lori Roy (mom of Andrew or "A Roy") posted on her blog. It is something that most baseball parents can relate to..............

Thursday, May 13 - Hello all In honor of the big game this Friday-Regional finals in case you haven't gotten word-and also in honor of the return of Friday Night Lights (about time) I am leaving this blog up until Monday. Best to all

In the Majors, they are called the boys of summer. But for a mother of a high school baseball player, deeply embedded in post season play, they are the boys of spring. They are the boys, young men, who juggle school work, final exams, college applications for some, homework for most, jobs for a few and X-box for all. Once, twice, maybe three times a week, I sit on metal bleachers, the sun burning through the number silkscreened on the back of my gray team t-shirt, and cheer on the Chargers.

Hopefully, it is fair to say I am not a “crazy” baseball parent. But like the tree that falls in an empty forest, does a crazy parent know he or she is crazy? Perhaps not. But I try not to cheer an overthrow at first made by the opposing team, unless, of course, the game is close. I try not to yell at the umpire, unless he calls a ball that sails across my son’s collarbone a strike. After all, he is 6’5” and isn’t a ball that sails that high clearly and evidently outside the strike zone? Doesn’t a mother of such a son have an obligation, perhaps a deep seeded ancient right, to protest such a call? Under these specific circumstances, I’ll admit to yelling at the umpire, but by this point in the game, I am certainly too hoarse to be heard over all the other crazy parents yelling about the same call.

I am a parent who tries not to wince when a ground ball rolls under an infielder’s glove or when all the dads in the crowd yell “can of corn” as a pop fly sails into the outfield and the fielder runs in instead of out, allowing the ball to drop on the warning track with a thud. It’ll be mine making the error next time. Don’t they all make their fair share? No, I won’t wince, lest they all wince when it’s my son hanging his head and kicking at the dirt.

I try to be a parent who will text updates to my friend who can’t bear to watch a game that has taken a bad turn. I try to be a parent willing to change positions on the bleachers if that will mean a change in “mojo” so the team will start to hit. I try to be a parent who lets her daughter, who has been dragged to baseball games since she was one year old, have a hotdog from the concession stand, and…okay…an ice cream sundae, too. I try to be a parent who cheers until she is lightheaded from a lack of oxygen, who is brought to tears when her son hits a walk-off single, who takes pictures of another mother’s son hugging his father and then tossing that father aside when the sophomore girls appear, offering hugs of their own. I suppose all we parents try to do the same, and if one of us is crazy, we’re all crazy in our own due time.

Good luck to Chargers baseball as they advance to the regional finals.

St. Pete Times - May 12

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Sport section:
Region baseball: Shorecrest counts on its dual threat

ST. PETERSBURG — On certain days, Marc Brakeman takes center stage as one of Shorecrest's starting pitchers.

Most days, though, he works behind the scenes as the Chargers' starting catcher.

Brakeman has done plenty of winning in his years with Shorecrest, whether he has been on the mound or behind the plate. After all, the Chargers (21-8) are in the playoffs for the fifth time in the past six seasons (the third time in Brakeman's career). But they are in the region finals for the first time since 1999.

That has a lot to do with Brakeman, a sophomore who has rapidly become one of Shorecrest's most versatile — and valuable — players.

"Marc is someone who has worked real hard and made a lot of improvements the past few years," Chargers coach Don Reed said. "He definitely is someone we can count on in either position."

Brakeman has always been a pitcher. Using his fastball and curveball, he finds a batter's weak spot and throws right at it nearly every time. He has 95 strikeouts and a 1.44 ERA in 631/3 innings.

"I think I've done pretty well pitching except for maybe a few moments this season," Brakeman said. "I basically try to stay pretty even on the mound."

But Brakeman is just as valuable in the other position he plays.

The catcher is the only player who can see the entire field. Catchers call the pitches, keep runners in check, help position the defense and take turns at bat. Add it all up and they have more impact on the game than any other position player.

Brakeman has earned that responsibility. He has learned the finer points of the position from Reed since the seventh grade.

He is second on the team in batting average at .382, and his defense continues to improve.

"Marc has done a phenomenal job at getting better behind the plate," Reed said.

Reed has plenty of pitchers at his disposal for Friday's region final at Bishop McLaughlin.

Brakeman could get the start. But if he doesn't start, he will still have a vital role calling pitches instead of throwing them.

St. Pete Times - May 8

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Sport Section:

2A baseball: Shorecrest survives Northside Christian's late rally

ST. PETERSBURG — What looked like a blowout victory for Shorecrest after six innings in Friday's Class 2A region semifinal quickly became a roller-coaster ride.

The Chargers led 8-0 in the top of the seventh when starter Marc Brakeman gave way to Tyler Larson. Fourteen batters, two home runs and eight scores later, Northside Christian had roared back to tie.

But a calm, collected Chargers lineup rebounded by loading the bases with no outs, bringing sophomore Andrew Roy to the plate. He lined a base hit over the heads of a drawn-in Mustangs infield, driving in his third run in two innings and leading his team to victory 9-8.

"It was a tough inning," Roy said. "We knew they were going to start hitting the ball, and they just turned it on in the last inning. We kept in close so we could win in the last half."

Seniors Robbie Williams and Kyle Turner led the Mustangs' late-game rally, connecting on back-to-back home runs and driving in five in the inning.

"Probably 'what if,' " said Mustangs coach Raul Hernandez of his team's reaction to the loss. "If we come out in the seventh and get three up, three down …you can point out the fact that they just hit the ball and we didn't. But obviously when you mount a comeback like that …and lose it in the end, it's heartbreaking."

Brakeman returned with two outs in the inning. Mixing speeds and throwing his curveball, Brakeman pitched out of a bases-loaded jam.

"Marc was tired, and his pitch count was up there. …We went back to him and fortunately he got us out of the inning," coach Don Reed said.

REGIONALS - Shorecrest vs Northside Christian

Friday, May 7
Shorecrest 9, Northside Christian 8

The Chargers scored a run in the bottom of the 1st inning in front of an overflow crowd at Hernandez Field. John R. led off with a base hit and Marc B. drove him in with a single to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. With 1 out in the 2nd inning Tyler L. singled and with 2 outs Jake B. singled to drive in a run. John R. singled to and Jake B. scored on a wild pitch. John R. also scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-0 in favor of the Chargers.

The Chargers struck again in the bottom of the 6th inning. Tyler L. doubled with 1 out. Andrew R. singled to drive in a run. Jake B. doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Andrew R. scored on a wild pitch. Brent R. singled to drive in 2 more runs to give the Chargers an 8-0 lead.

Northside scored 8 runs in the top of the 7th inning to tie the score 8-8.

Marc B. pitched the 1st 6 innings of the game and then came back in with the score 8-6 and allowed a base hit that drove in 2 runs to tie the game. Then he walked a batter and with the bases loaded he retired the side with a strikeout.

The Chargers refused to quit. Jon O. led off the bottom of the 7th with a base hit. Jason K. reached on an infield error. Tyler L. reached on a force out to load the bases. Andrew R. singled to drive in the game winning run to give the Chargers a thrilling 9-8 win in the semifinals of the Regional Tournament.

The Chargers will play against Bishop McLaughlin at 7:00 pm on Friday May 14 in the Regional Championship game and the right to advance to the State Final Four.

Andrew R. received the game baseball for his all around outstanding performance.

The coaching staff was extremely proud of the mental toughness the entire team displayed during the game against Northside. There were a number of heroes on the baseball field today without a doubt. Marc B. picked up the win working 6 1/3 innings allowing no runs, 5 hits and 5 strikeouts.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:

Andrew R. with 2 hits, 1 run scored and 2 RBIs
Jake B. with 1 single, 1 double and 1 RBI
John R. with 2 hits and 3 runs scored
Marc B. with 1 single, 1 double and 1 RBI
Tyler L. with 1 single, 1 double and 2 runs scored
Brent R. with 1 single and 2 RBIs
Jon O. with 1 hit and 1 run scored

St. Pete Times - May 5

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' sports section:

Chargers senior comes through on the mound

ST. PETERSBURG — Tyler Larson threw his fourth complete-game shutout of the season to lead Shorecrest to a 4-0 win over Evangelical Christian in the Class 2A region semis Tuesday.

The lone senior on a roster full of sophomores and freshmen was dominant from the start in his 90-pitch outing, tossing 11 strikeouts while allowing just one hit and two walks.

The Chargers, who avenged their 2006 loss in the region semifinals to the Sentinels, gave Larson enough to work with in the first inning on Spencer Heath's RBI single. Shorecrest (19-7) added two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth.

Marc Brakeman went 3-for-3 and finished the game a home run short of the cycle.

"We feel like we're playing some really good baseball now and anything is possible," Larson said. "I've never been so happy in my life. I'm excited about what we can do from here on out."

REGIONALS - Shorecrest vs Evangelical Christian

Tuesday, May 4
Shorecrest 4, Evangelical Christian 0

The Chargers won the first game in the Regional Tournament and Tyler L. pitched a gem. He not only pitched a shut out, he also struck out 11 and only allowed 1 hit. He had great command. All of his pitches were in complete control during the entire game.

The Chargers scored a run in the bottom of the 1st inning. John R. led off with a walk. Brent R. hit into a forced play at 2nd base. Marc B. singled. Spencer H. also singled and drove in the 1st run of the game to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead.

Jon O. was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the 4th inning. Jason K. reached on a base hit. Tyler L. reached on an error and a run scored. Jake B. got a base hit and drove in a run to make the score 3-0 in favor of the Chargers.

In the 5th inning Marc B. doubled and scored on a double by Jon O. to make the final score 4-0.

Tyler L. was awarded the game baseball for his outstanding pitching. Marc B. had a great game behind the plate and Jon O. had a very good game at 1st base.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Marc B. with 1 single, 1 double, 1 triple and 1 run scored
Spencer H. with 1 base hit and 1 RBI
Jon O. with 1 double, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Jason K. with 1 base hit and 1 run scored
Jake B. with 1 base hit and 1 RBI
Brent R. with 1 run scored

The Chargers will play in the 2nd game of the Regional Tournament at home on Friday, May 7 at 4:00 against Northside Christian.

St. Pete Times - April 30

The following is an excerpt from the St. Pete Times' Sports Section April 30:

2A-11 baseball: Shorecrest's dedication pays off in final

ST. PETERSBURG — A year ago, Shorecrest lost in the first round of district play. That precipitated a coming together of each player who would return this season, which was everyone, for almost daily workouts in the weight room or the baseball field in the offseason.

The result? A whipped-cream pie in the face from teammates to sophomore starting pitcher Mark Brakeman after Thursday's 10-3 win in the Class 2A, District 11 championship over rival Northside Christian.

Shorecrest turned a slim 2-1 lead in the third inning into a rout by scoring four runs in the third and four in the fourth. The substantial lead was plenty enough for Brakeman (5-1), who gave up three runs and five hits over five innings.

"We made a commitment after losing last year that we'd work as hard as possible to take our potential to the next level this year," Brakeman said. "We knew we had the talent to achieve something like this."

Playing in front of packed stands, host Shorecrest (19-8) took advantage of six walks and two hit batters, three of which came in the decisive third inning with two outs. After Jason Kiracofe kept the inning alive with a single, five more Chargers reached, highlighted by Brent Rasmussen's two-run single.

"We had a close game against them (in the teams' first meeting, a 2-0 win by Shorecrest) and we knew we had to score when we had the opportunities," said the Chargers' Andrew Roy, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. "Once we got the lead, we knew Mark would take care of business."

DISTRICT CHAMPS!!! Shorecrest vs Northside Christian

Thursday, April 29
Shorecrest 10, Northside Christian 3

The Chargers won the District Championship and will play Tuesday, May 4th at 4:00 pm at home to start off the Regional Tournament.

Jon O. led off the 2nd inning for the Chargers with a base on balls. Jason K. reached on an error and Andrew R. drove in a run with a base hit. Jake B. singled to drive in the 2nd run to give the Chargers a 2-0 lead. Northside Christian scored a run in the top of the 3rd inning to cut the lead to 2-1.

Jason K. singled with 2 outs in the bottom of the 3rd inning for the Chargers. Tyler L. was hit by a pitched ball. Andrew R. drove him in with a base hit. Jake B. walked and then John R. walked to force in a run. Brent R. singled to drive in 2 runs to make the score 6-1 in favor of the Chargers. Northside Christian scored a run in the top of the 4th inning to cut the lead to 6-2.

In the bottom of the 4th, Jon O. singled, Tyler L. walked and Andrew R. walked. Jake B. then singled to drive in 2 more runs. John R. also singled and drove in 2 runs to make the score 10-2. Northside Christian scored a run in the top of the 5th inning to make the final score 10-3.

Marc B. was the winning pitcher working 5 innings, allowing 1 earned run, 4 hits and 5 strikeouts. Tyler L. pitched the 6th and 7th innings allowing no hits.

Andrew R. made 2 great defensive plays in the infield and Tyler L. made an outstanding play at 2nd base.

Andrew R. was presented the game ball for being selected as the player of the game.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Andrew R. with 2 hits, 2 runs score and 2 RBIs
Jake B. with 1 hit, 2 runs scored 3 RBIs
Brent R. with 2 hits and 2 RBIs
John R. with 1 hit and 3 RBIs
Jon O. with 1 hit and 2 runs scored
Jason K. with 1 hit and 2 runs scored
Spencer H. with 1 hit
Tyler L. with 2 runs scored

St. Pete Times - April 27

The following is an excerpt from the St. Pete Times' Sports Section, April 27:

ST. PETERSBURG — At his best, Tyler Larson throws three pitches.

Tuesday against Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy, he used them all with precision.

The Shorecrest senior confounded hitters, leaving them lunging and lurching at pitches that looked like one thing but were another.

Larson pitched a shutout, allowing three hits and striking out 10 in a 7-0 victory in the Class 2A, District 11 semifinals.

The Chargers (18-8), the top seed, will host Northside Christian in Thursday's championship game. The Mustangs, the No. 3 seed, beat No. 2 Bradenton St. Stephen's 3-2.

"I was just fired up because I'm a senior and I knew it was either win or go home," said Larson, who improved to 6-2. "This was probably my best performance of the year."

All three hits Larson allowed were singles and he didn't allow a runner to reach scoring position. He also was economical, throwing just 79 pitches.

"Tyler was extremely good with his location and was able to get through a lot of quick innings," Shorecrest coach Don Reed said.

Larson had the winning hit, a double in the fourth inning that brought home Jon Oorlog to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, Shorecrest widened the gap, scoring six runs and sending 10 batters up.

Shorecrest vs Out of Door Academy - DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

Tuesday, April 27
Shorecrest 7, Out of Door Academy 0

The Chargers played a very good all around baseball game to win their first game of the District Tournament. Tyler L. pitched an outstanding complete game. He pitched shut out baseball allowing only 2 hits, striking out 10 and no walks. Tyler had great location throughout the entire game with all of his pitches.

The Chargers scored a run in the bottom of the 4th inning on a walk to Jon O. and then Tyler L. singled with 2 outs to drive in the 1st run of the game to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. In the 5th inning the Chargers broke the game open with a 5 run rally. John R. led off with a base hit. Brent R. walked. Marc B. singled to drive in a run. Spencer H. also singled to drive in 2 more runs. Jason K. drove in a run on a ground out. Andrew R. drove in a run with a base hit.

Spencer H. singled with 1 out in the 6th inning. Jon O. singled and then Jason K. singled to drive in a run to make the final score 7-0.

The Chargers also played solid defense the entire ballgame.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Spencer H. with 2 hits, 1 run scored and 2 RBIs
John R. with 2 hits and 1 run scored
Marc B. with 1 hit, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Jon O. with 2 hits and 2 runs scored
Jason K. with 1 hit and 2 RBIs
Tyler L. with 1 hit and 1 RBI
Andrew R. with 1 hit and 1 RBI
Jake B. with 1 hit
Brent R. with 2 runs scored
John S. with 1 run scored

The Chargers will play Northside Christian on Thursday, April 29 at 4:00 in the Championship Game of the District 11 Baseball Tournament at Shorecrest.

St. Pete Times Online Edition - April 24

The following is an excerpt from the St. Petersburg Times' Sports Section (online):

Pinellas Baseball District Tournament Preview Class 2A, District 11 at Shorecrest
Unsung hero:
The top-seeded Chargers have been hit by the injury bug, with four players missing time in the past month. That allowed outfielder Jake Brandenburg to emerge as an everyday force. His run-scoring single against St. Stephens' was the difference in a game that decided the district's top spot.

Shorecrest vs The Cambridge School - Bay Conference Championship Game

Thursday, April 22
Shorecrest 0, The Cambridge School 14

The Chargers played a very good Cambridge baseball team that is red hot at this time of year. Brent R. led off the top of the 1st inning with a base on balls. Marc B. hit a long fly ball deep to right field that was caught near the fence for the 1st out. Spencer H. walked, then Cambridge turned a ground ball double play to end the inning.

Cambridge scored 3 runs in the 1st inning and then 3 runs in the 2nd inning to take a 6-0 lead. They scored 2 runs in the 3rd inning and then 6 more in the 4th inning to make the final score 14-0.

Marc B. picked up his first loss of the season. The Chargers also pitched Jason K., Andrew R. and Tyler L. in the ball game as well.

Tyler L. made the defensive play of the game. He made a back handed stab of a ground ball going up the middle and threw the runner out at 1st.

The Chargers will have 2 more practices before their first District game on Tuesday, April 27 at 4:00 pm at home against the winner of the Admiral Farragut/Out of Door Academy game.

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

Shorecrest will host the 2010 FHSAA 2A District 11 Baseball Tournament during the week of April 26.

Monday, April 26, 4:00 pm
#5 Admiral Farragut vs #4 Out of Door Academy

Tuesday, April 27, 1:00 pm
#3 Northside Christian vs #2 St. Stephens

Tuesday, April 27, 4:00 pm
Winner of Monday's game vs #1 Shorecrest

Thursday, April 29, 4:00 pm
Championship Game - winners of Tuesday's games

Shorecrest vs Calvary Christian

Monday, April 19
Shorecrest 4, Calvary Christian 1

The Chargers won its last regular season game at home on Monday April 19 and it was Senior Recognition Day.

The Chargers scored a run in the bottom of the 1st inning. Brent R. led off with a long double and scored on a wild pitch to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. Calvary Christian tied the game by scoring a run in the 2nd inning making the score 1-1.

Brian K. led off the 3rd inning with a base hit. Jon O. singled and Marc B. singled to drive in 2 runs to make the score 3-1 in favor of the Chargers. In the 6th inning Tyler L. led off with a base on balls. Jake B. was hit by a pitch. Will S. singled and Andrew R. drove in a run with an infield ground out to make the final score 4-1.

Jason K. picked up the win pitching 4 innings, allowing 1 run, 3 hits and 4 strikeouts and walked nobody. Tyler L. picked up the save working 3 innings allowing no runs, 2 hits, 5 strikeouts and 1 base on balls.

Andrew R. made the defensive play of the game on a backhanded stab on a ground ball to 3rd base to throw the batter out at 3rd base.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Marc B. with 1 hit and 2 RBIs
Brent R. with 1 double and 1 run scored
Will S. with 2 hits and 1 run scored
Brian K. with 2 hits and 1 run scored
Jon O. with 1 hit and 1 run scored
Andrew R. with 1 RBI
Jake B. with 1 hit

The Chargers will play at Cambridge in the Bay Conference Championship game on Thursday, April 22, time to be determined.

Shorecrest vs Northside Christian

Thursday, April 15
Shorecrest 6, Northside Christian 7

Northside scored a run in the bottom of the 1st inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Chargers tied the game up in the 2nd inning on a single by Tyler L. Andrew R. then drove him in with a base hit to make the score 1-1. Jon O. led off the 3rd inning with a base on balls. Jason K. drove him in with a base hit. Jason K. scored on an error to give the Chargers 3-1 lead.

Northside Christian scored 2 runs in the 3rd inning to tie the score 3-3. In the 5th inning Jon O. was hit by a pitch. Tyler L. tripled to drive Jon O. in to make the score 4-3. In the top of the 7th inning Jason K. walked and Tyler L. doubled to drive him in. Tyler L. scored on an error to give the Chargers a 6-3 lead. Northside Christian scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to win the game 7-6.

Andrew R. picked up the loss but he pitched a very good game.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Tyler L. who went 4 for 4 in the game with 2 singles, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs
Jason K. with 1 hit, 2 runs and 1 RBIs
Andrew R. with 1 hit and 1 RBI
Brian K. with 1 hit
Jon O. with 2 runs scored

The Chargers will play Calvary Christian, a Bay Conference game, on Monday, April 19 at 4:00 pm at home.

Shorecrest vs Bishop McLaughlin

Tuesday, April 13
Shorecrest 6, Bishop McLaughlin 9

Bishop McLaughlin scored a run in the top of the 1st inning with a base on balls, a double and a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead. The Chargers scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Jon O. singled, Jason K. reached on an error, Tyler L. singled to drive in a run and Will S. grounded out to drive in another run to give the Chargers a 2-1 lead.

Bishop McLaughlin scored 4 runs in the 4th inning to go ahead 5-2. Bishop McLaughlin scored another run in the top of the 6th inning to make the score 6-2.

Jason K. doubled to lead off the bottom of the 6th inning. Jake B. singled to drive in a run. Tyler L. grounded out to drive in another run to cut the lead to 6-4. In the bottom of the 7th inning, Marc. B. singled, Jon O. walked, Tyler L. hit in to a force play to drive in a run. Jake B. also hit into a forced play to drive in another run to tie the score 6-6.

Bishop McLaughlin scored 3 runs in the 8th inning to win the game 9-6.

Tyler L. was the losing pitcher.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Marc B. with 1 single, 1 double and 1 run scored
Jason K. with 1 single, 1 double, 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs
Tyler L. with 2 hits and 1 RBIs
Jake B. with 1 hit and 2 RBIs
Will S. with 1 RBI
Jon O. with 1 hit and 2 runs scored

The Chargers will play at Northside Christian on Thursday, April 15 at 6:00 pm

Shorecrest vs Indian Rocks Christian

Friday, April 9, 2010
Shorecrest 4, Indian Rocks Christian 0

John S. led off the 1st inning for the Chargers with a base on balls. Brent R. drove him in with a base hit to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. Jason K. walked in the bottom of the 2nd inning with 1 out. Jake B. singled to drive him in to make the score 2-0. Brent R. led off the 3rd inning with a base hit. Jon O. doubled to drive him in to give the Chargers a 3-0 lead. The Chargers scored another run in the bottom of the 6th inning. Jon O. singled and scored on an infield hit by Brian K. and a throwing error to make the final score 4-0 in favor of the Chargers.

Tyler L. pitched a great complete game, allowing no run, 2 hits, 1 walk and 9 strike outs. Tyler had very good command of the pitches and worked ahead of the hitters during the game.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Jon O. with 1 single, 1 double, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Brent R. with 2 hits, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Jake B. with 1 hit and 1 RBI
Brian K. with 1 hit
John S. with 1 run scored

The Chargers next game is at home against Bishop McLaughlin on Tuesday, April 13 at 4:30 pm.

Shorecrest vs St. Stephens

Wednesday, April 7
Shorecrest 7, St. Stephens 6 (9 inning game)

The Chargers scored a run in the bottom of the 3rd inning on a walk to Jake B. who scored on a sacrifice fly by John R. to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead.

St. Stephens came right back and scored 2 runs in the top of the 4th inning to go ahead 2-1. The Chargers responded with a run in the bottom of the 4th. With 2 outs Jason K. walked, Tyler L. and Jake B. both singled to load the bases. Andrew R. singled to drive in the run to tie the game at 2-2. The Chargers scored a run in the 5th inning. With 1 out Marc B. doubled and Spencer H. drove him in with a base hit to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Chargers.

St. Stephens scored 2 runs in the top of the 6th inning to take the lead again at 4-3. In the bottom of the inning Tyler L. led off with a base hit. John R. walked and then Brent R. singled to drive in a run that tied the score at 4-4. St. Stephens scored 2 runs in the top of the 8th inning to take the lead again at 6-4 but the Chargers fought back one more time and rallied with 1 out. Marc B. and Spencer both walked. Jon O. singled to load the bases. Jason K. singled to drive in a run to drive to cut the lead down to 1 run. With 2 outs and 2 strikes, Jake B. hit a hard line drive base hit to the outfield to drive in a run to tie the game up at 6-6.

In the bottom of the 9th inning John R. tripled to the outfield fence and Brent R. and Marc B. were both intentionally walked to load the bases. Spencer H. stepped up big time and lined a hard line shot into centerfield for a walk off base hit driving in the winning run making the final score Charger 7, St. Stephens 6.

It was a very exciting game that was very well played by 2 very good baseball teams. The Chargers could have folded up the tent a number of times but they would not quit and continued to fight back and won a great baseball game. The defense was very good and the Chargers played errorless ball throughout the entire game.

Marc B. pitched 6 innings, allowed 4 runs on 4 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. Andrew R. worked 3 innings, giving up 2 runs, 1 walk and striking out 2.

Leading hitters for the Chargers were:
Spencer H. with 3 hits, 1 run scored and 2 RBIs (including the game winning RBI)
Tyler L. with 2 singles, 1 double, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Jake B. with 2 hits, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Brent R. with 1 single, 1 double and 1 RBI
John R. with 1 triple, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Marc B. with 1 double and 1 run scored
Jason K. with 1 hit, 1 run scored and 1 RBI
Andrew R. with 1 hit and 1 RBI
Jon O. with 1 hit

The Chargers will be at home to play Indian Rocks at 4:30 pm in a Bay Conference Baseball Game.