Playoff push: West, Southwest Orange County high school baseball postseason preview

The spring high school sports season is in high gear as postseason play is underway in most sports. As is often the case in West Orange and Southwest Orange, the area’s baseball teams once again are making some serious noise and have shown to be legitimate contenders not only for district championships but also for regional and even state titles this season.

With district tournaments set for their championship games Thursday, April 17, and opening games of the regional tournaments starting Monday, April 21, let’s take a look at which area teams are primed to make a deep run this postseason.

Teams are listed in alphabetical order.

TOP AREA TEAMS

THE FIRST ACADEMY ROYALS (20-4)

Class 2A, District 6

MaxPreps Class Ranking: No. 2

Best results: 11-3 win vs. Jupiter High (18-7), 11-1 win vs. Timber Creek High (17-8), 7-0 win vs. and 8-5 win at Windermere High (19-6) and 6-1 win at Bishop Moore Catholic (18-7).

Players to watch

Thomas Achey, pitcher, senior.

One of the Royals many arms, Achey has an ERA of 1.98 ERA over 28.1 innings pitched and has thrown 47 strikeouts with an opposition batting average of .194.

Blake Fields, outfield, senior.

With a team-leading batting average of .462 and on-base percentage of .569, Fields is one of the most dynamic hitters in the area. In 24 games played this season, he’s scored 35 runs, drove in 21 runs, hit four home runs and stolen 12 bases.

Remo Indomenico, outfield, senior. 

An Oklahoma State signee, Indomenico has continued to show his high-level abilities from the batter’s box this season, hitting for an average of .457, driving in 30 runs, scoring 33 runs and hitting five homers.

Postseason outlook

As the top ranked baseball team in the area, second-ranked team in its classification and 40th-ranked team in the nation, The First Academy Royals are one of the most talented and prepared teams heading into the postseason. Considering the experience its players have in the playoffs — having reached the state semifinals last season — the litany of dangerous bats throughout its lineup and a deep rotation of pitchers that can challenge any lineup in the state, it’s fair to say the Royals are the favorites to emerge from its region and compete for a state championship yet again.

FOUNDATION ACADEMY LIONS (18-7)

Class 2A, District 6

MaxPreps Class Ranking: No. 21

Best results: 5-3 win (10 innings) at Mount Dora High (17-7), 5-4 win vs. Glenwood High (AL, 24-4-1) and 5-4 win vs. Winter Springs High (21-4).

Players to watch

Barak Boston, infielder, senior.

Since returning to the lineup, after missing eight games because of an injury in March, the Army West Point signee not only has picked up where he left off from the batter’s box, but also he has led the Lions to a 7-1 record — as of press time, Tuesday, April 15. In 17 games, Boston is hitting for an average of .477, he’s driven in 14 runs, scored 22 runs, hit one home run and stolen 17 bases.

Riley Gibson, pitcher, senior.

As Foundation’s ace, The Citadel signee has managed to have an ERA of 1.54 over 36.1 innings pitched and has thrown 38 strikeouts while allowing a .214 opposition batting average.

Jose Taveras, catcher, junior. 

The Lions leader in hits with 28, RBIs with 24 and home runs with two, Taveras has been a much-needed dynamic bat in the Foundation lineup and a quality defender behind home plate, filling the void left behind by last year’s starting senior catcher Matthew Hazelwood.

Postseason outlook

Despite a worse record compared to last season’s historic 25-win team, this Foundation club is prepared to make some noise this postseason after a much tougher schedule. All seven of the Lions losses this season came to teams with winning records — including big time local contenders such as West Orange High and Bishop Moore Catholic. This tougher path to the postseason will be vital to the Lions run having to get past TFA and others in their region.

WEST ORANGE WARRIORS (19-6)

Class 7A, District 4

MaxPreps Class Ranking: No. 15

Best results: 2-1 win at Windermere (19-6), 6-3 win vs. Foundation (18-7) and 5-2 win at Horizon High (14-11).

Players to watch

Nick Caso, pitcher, senior.

One of the many arms in the Warriors pitching staff, Caso has had a stellar senior campaign with a 4-0 pitching record, an ERA of 0.51 over 27.2 innings pitched, 29 strikeouts and .167 opposition batting average.

Angel Martinez, infielder, junior.

As a key bat in the middle of the Warriors lineup, Martinez has hit for team-high average of .390, while also leading West Orange with an on-base percentage of .526 and 16 RBIs.

Sims McClusky, pitcher, senior.

A Coker University signee, McClusky has been the Warriors ace pitcher this season. With a team-leading 44 strikeouts over 45 innings pitched, he has an ERA of 1.56 ERA, an opposition batting average of .177 and a 5-0 pitching record.

Postseason outlook

West Orange has the deepest pitching staff in the area — and maybe even in the entire state — and with the new best-of-three series format in the regional playoffs taking effect this year — instead of the one game format — the Warriors have a huge advantage that could propel this senior-heavy team to a deep postseason run. 

WINDERMERE WOLVERINES (19-6)

Class 7A, District 5

MaxPreps Class Ranking: No. 6

Best results: 9-3 win at Lake Brantley High (15-9-1), 13-6 win at Bishop Moore Catholic (18-7),  4-3 win vs. Winter Park High (22-3), 4-2 win vs. Timber Creek (17-8), 7-3 win vs. Spruce Creek High (23-2) and 4-2 win vs. Hagerty High (21-3-1).

Players to watch

Connor Fink, pitcher, senior.

One of the few senior leaders on this young Wolverines team, Fink has been steady as can be stepping into the role of ace for this pitching staff. Over 40 inning pitched he has an ERA of 2.98 and has thrown 51 strikeouts while holding opposition batters to a .235 average.

Randy Ruiz Jr., outfielder, junior.

With a .358 batting average, 18 RBIs, 28 runs and six home runs, the son of former MLB player Randy Ruiz Sr. has continued to show why he’s one of the area’s top college baseball prospects. 

Joey Waddingham, pitcher/infielder, sophomore.

After breaking into the team as a freshman last season, Waddingham has been getting it done in the batter’s box and on the mound for the Wolverines. As a hitter, he has a .379 batting average, has knocked in 14 runs and scored 12. From the mound he has a 1.94 ERA in 21.2 innings pitched with a 4-1 record, 26 strikeouts and a .221 opposition batting average.

Postseason outlook

After breaking through last season, reaching the state championship game and falling by one run in extra innings, Windermere lost more than half its starters in the field and its top pitcher on the mound to graduation. What’s more, the Wolverines also saw the only coach in program history, Eric Lassiter, step down. 

Still, at 19-6 and with wins over some of the states top programs — such as Spruce Creek, Hagerty and Winter Park — the Wolverines, under new coach Brian Adkins, seemed to have skipped the rebuild and instead have reloaded. Expect more of the same type of excellence in the postseason for the boys on the diamond from Windy City.