2024 FHSAA regional semifinal baseball: Merritt Island, Viera advance, Rockledge outsted
MERRITT ISLAND — Merritt Island defeated The Villages Charter on Saturday 7-2 at Clint Hurdle Field in Region 2-4A, earning a Tuesday night regional final appearance for the top-seeded Mustangs, again at their home facility.
The opponent will be Hernando, the sixth seed in the region. The Leopards also played Saturday and won at Nature Coast Tech, 7-4. Merritt Island enters that game with a 23-5 record, while Hernando is 19-9.
Against the Buffaloes, Merritt Island took a 6-0 lead to the fourth inning. The Villages Charter ended the season 17-12.
The Villages Charter upset the Mustangs a year ago on the opening night of the playoffs, 4-3 in eight innings. On that night, five Brevard County teams were eliminated from the postseason.
Viera cruises into region final
At Viera's USSSA Stadium, the Hawks knocked off East River 6-1. Dominic Leoni's grand slam in the fourth broke open the tied game as Viera improved to 16-11. Three pitchers combined to allow just two hits by the visitors.
Viera will play at George Jenkins (19-8) in Monday's regional final.
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Rockledge loses close contest
In Rockledge, the Raiders came from behind twice but lost their lead and the game to Archbishop McCarthy on Friday, 5-4 in nine innings.
A two-out double put the Mavericks ahead in the top of the ninth after the Raiders had stranded three in the bottom of the eighth. Rockledge's season ended with the Region 4-5A semifinal loss, and the Raiders finished 26-3. They hadn't lost since March 25.
Trailing 2-0 going to the bottom of the fourth, a sacrifice fly by Ezra Fafard gave Rockledge a 3-2 lead that stood until the sixth inning. That's when the visitors scored on a hit to left field and a bouncer to third when the batter was called safe at first.
Jonathan Matos hit a sacrifice fly to the outfield in the bottom of the seventh to bring the Raiders back from the 4-3 deficit to send it to the eighth.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Merritt Island, Viera baseball advance to 2024 FHSAA region finals
