Prep Baseball Report

5A State Championship Game



Jesuit vs. Clay

The Jesuit (27-6) baseball program has been to the Final Four 8 times since 2000 without bringing home a state championship back to Tampa. The drought for the Tigers came to an end with their 5-2 victory over the Clay Blue Devils (23-8) to win this year’s 5A state championship.

Jesuit struck first with 2 runs in the first off RBI singles by Kennie Taylor (Duke) and Danny Lastra (Ave Maria). Clay answered back in the 4th scoring on a bases loaded walk and an RBI single by Jacob Turner. The 4th inning ended on a base running mistakes, stopping the momentum of the Blue Devils.

The Tigers scored 2 more runs in the 6th with an RBI double off the left field wall by Ryan McCullers (Middle Tennessee State) and an RBI single by Ronnie Ramirez (Florida State). Steven Lugo scored Nick Ortega with a RBI single in the 7th to make it 5-2. Jesuit went to the bullpen calling on Ronnie Ramirez in the 7th to save the game and give the Jesuit Tigers a 5-2 victory and the 5A state championship. 

For Jesuit, Kasey Radke (Tampa) got the win going 6 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 4 hits, walking 5 and striking out 2. For Clay, Dale Taylor gets the loss. Taylor went 6 2/3  innings giving up 5 runs, 2 of which were earned on 9 hits. Taylor did not allow a free pass and struck out 1. 

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