Baseball: CFCA flying high after win at OCP

OCOEE The CFCA baseball notched its biggest victory so far this season April 1, topping district-leading Orlando Christian Prep in eight innings, 2-1.

Eagles (12-4-1) ace Nick Peterson pitched a complete game against the Warriors (14-1), who had previously been undefeated in District 2A-4. The outing was Peterson’s fifth complete game of the season and his sixth win — the junior standout has amassed 1.91 ERA in 51.1 innings of work and has struck out 60 batters this season.

“(Peterson is) one of those players you can say is the ‘ultimate gamer’ — he has tremendous, mature focus on the mound or at the plate,” CFCA head coach Larry Oldham said, praising the junior’s instincts. “Nick is one of those boys that he can really focus in and compete.”

Backing up their pitcher at the plate were Trey Jordan and Joel Setien, who each went 2-for-4 with a double. Andrew McCabe, who leads the team with 21 RBI on the season, bunted in the game-winning run.

Oldham is in his seventh season coaching the program at CFCA and continues to experience success despite a growing number of neighboring programs that are providing more options than ever for baseball players in west and southwest Orange County.

Oldham’s Eagles have made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons and have finished with a winning-record in five of the past six seasons. 

This year, CFCA is finding ways to win with a roster of several players who did not play in 2015, including the Treacy brothers (Dante and Jared) —two of the stars for the school’s basketball program who joined the baseball team this spring.

Even with some relative inexperience, Oldham has been pleasantly surprised with the play of players like Josh Peabody and Daniel Moore in addition to returning leaders like catcher Luke Noah.

With a tie to their credit after a game was called for lack of daylight, CFCA is second in the district at 10-1-1. If the Eagles win out and complete the tied game from earlier this season, they could tie OCP for first place and the top seed for the district tournament would be decided by a coin-flip. Otherwise, CFCA looks like a good bet to be the second seed in the competitive district.

Oldham, whose Eagles were defeated 10-0 by Lake Highland Prep a night before the big win at OCP, like his team’s chances but also acknowledged that the margin for error is thin.

“We know our set formation for those big games,” Oldham said, alluding to who will pitch and play where for the Eagles’ remaining big games. “I don't take anything for granted (in district).”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].