TFA baseball edges WO in slugfest, extends streak to five games | Observer Preps

Capping a back-and-forth slugfest — during which both teams combined for 25 hits and 27 runs — The First Academy Royals scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally past the West Orange Warriors in a 14-13 victory.

The come-from-behind win represented the fifth consecutive for the Royals (12-4).

“I think just the resiliency,” said TFA head coach Scott Grove afterward,  asked what has impressed him about his team this season. “If they do get down, they find a way to put some hits together — just like tonight — and come through at the end.”

The Royals and Warriors each scored three runs in first inning, but West Orange would recapture the lead in the second inning when Tanner Wood drove in a run on a single. The Warriors would score two more runs in the same inning, and extended their lead to four on a home run from Noah Hughes in the top of the third.

After falling behind 10-6 in the top of the fourth inning, the Royals responded by tying up the game at 10-10 on a grand slam from Chenar Brown in the bottom-half of the inning.

The Warriors took a 13-11 lead into the bottom of the seventh, setting the stage for TFA’s rally.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, the Royals trimmed the Warriors lead to 13-12 on an RBI single. Down to their final strike, Dakoda Grove was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Kendrick Calilao, after which Calilao would tie the game on an infield single. 

With the game-winning run on third, Bryce Fisher worked a full count and drew a walk to give the Royals a comeback victory.

Although the team has been winning as of late, Grove said afterward that he knows his team needs to keep on improving—and even though his team has struggled in some areas, he’d prefer his team struggle now as opposed to later in the season.

“We’re going to keep working on defense,” Grove said. “If we can do that, all high-school baseball is is being hot at the right time. I’d rather have our struggles now than at the end of the season. We’re fortunate that we’ve been winning, but we also know that we need to clean some things up.”

As far what the team has done well through 16 games, Grove pointed to strong at-bats that don’t end in strikeouts.

“We’ve done a nice job putting the ball in play and hitting the ball, so I’d say that’s our biggest strength right now,” Grove said. “Our pitching at times looks very dominant when we throw in the strike zone.”

"If we continue to improve and work hard in practice, we’ll make it pretty far.”

— Kendrick Kalilao

Calilao, whose infield single tied the game against West Orange, has also been part of a strong senior class for the Royals, so far as leadership is concerned. The senior outfielder and Florida Gator commit said he recognizes the importance of leadership and is optimistic that he and his teammates — who have two showdowns looming with district rival Windermere Prep next week — can continue to improve.

“I feel like a lot of people look up to us as seniors,” Calilao said. “So setting the tone and setting the example for them so that way when we do leave, they kind of know what they’re getting into. … If we continue to improve and work hard in practice, we’ll make it pretty far.”