Sharks Surge Past Indian River, 9–7
Fort Pierce, FL - Miami Dade outslugged Indian River State College 9–7 in a back-and-forth battle that featured 20 combined hits and a late push from the Pioneers before the Sharks slammed the door in the ninth.
The Sharks pounded out 16 hits and built a steady lead through the middle innings, then survived a five-run eighth by Indian River to secure the win.
Indian River struck first in the third when EJ Burns launched a two-run homer to left, putting the Sharks in an early 2–0 hole. Miami Dade answered in the fourth as Willy Mendez ripped an RBI single to bring home Jendy Gonzalez and cut the deficit in half.
The Sharks evened things up in the fifth when Rene Ramirez Jr. crushed a solo homer to left, his first of the season, tying the game at 2–2.
From there, the offense caught fire.
In the sixth, Samuel Castro delivered a two-run single to center, scoring Denixon Suarez and Mendez to give MDC a 4–2 advantage. An inning later, the Sharks broke it open. Adrian Areizaga lined a two-run single to center to plate Gonzalez and William Polanco, and Castro followed with another two-run knock, capping a four-run seventh that stretched the lead to 8–2.
Miami Dade added what proved to be an insurance run in the ninth when Ramirez drew a bases-loaded walk, forcing in Suarez to make it 9–2.
Indian River made things interesting in the eighth, scoring five runs on just three hits. Andy Schroeder drove in a run with a single, Niko Benestad delivered a two-run double, and the Pioneers capitalized on a passed ball and a ground-ball RBI from David Pina to trim the margin to 9–7.
But the Sharks' bullpen regrouped.
Xavier Pelzer came on to record the final six outs, tossing two scoreless innings without allowing a hit to earn his first save of the year. Starter Samuel Alonso (1-0) was sharp through 6.1 innings, surrendering just one hit and two runs while striking out six to earn the win.
At the plate, Castro led the way with three hits and four RBI. Mendez went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a double, while Polanco added three hits of his own. Suarez scored three times, and Ramirez drove in two runs, highlighted by his solo shot in the fifth.