Hagerty defeated West Orange 14-4 in a dramatic 10-inning game to reach the 7A state baseball final four. The game featured strong pitching performances but ended with a 10-run explosion from Hagerty in the final inning.
(Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)
OVIEDO — It seems quite odd that a 10-inning pitchers’ duel with a berth in the state semifinals on the line would end up a 14-4 final score, but that’s what happened at Hagerty High School on Saturday afternoon.
Relief pitchers Nick Stentiford of Hagerty, who entered in the third inning, and Lukas Stirewalt of West Orange, who entered in the fifth, were impressive. Stentiford struck out seven West Orange hitters in his seven innings of work, while Stirewalt struck out 10 Hagerty hitters in five innings, including eight in a row at one point.
But Stirewalt seemed to tire in the 10th inning and the Hagerty bats came alive. Hagerty batted around against three different West Orange pitchers and before the bleeding was stopped, Hagerty had plated 10 runs in a crazy inning.
The 14-4 victory in the Class 7A, Region 1 final sends Hagerty to the state final four for the second consecutive year. The Huskies improved to 22-8 and will try to take the next step after falling to Jupiter in last year’s state semifinal. West Orange finishes the season 20-13.
“That is what they like to do to me,” said Hagerty coach Mike Sindone, whose Huskies swept the best-of-three series. “They love to say, ‘Awe we’re just gonna play some extra innings in this playoff series.’ They like to do it. They’ve done it all postseason. They kind of expected to have a little fun with me today, toy with my emotions, but they did a good job.”
Stentiford, a junior, gave his coach enough quality innings to keep him sane on the bench.
“It was a great team win. We stayed together ’til the end,” Stentiford said. “We hit when we needed it most and the big guys came up in big spots and did what we needed to.”
Stentiford was steady in his seven innings, limiting the Warriors to just one hit after picking up for starter Noah Adkins.
“The more level-headed I am, the better my command is,” Stentiford said. “If I can’t command my pitches, there was no chance we would have stayed in it. I had a job to do so I did it.”
In that 10th, Stirewalt walked the first two batters and Hagerty’s best hitter approached the plate, big left-handed slugger Isaias Torres. Sindone made an interesting decision. He had Torres, a sophomore, bunt to move both the runners into scoring position. Torres laid down a perfect sacrifice dribbler, job done.
Torres didn’t mind laying down the bunt.
“Hey, we scored three runs so I don’t care,” Torres said.
The final score was 14-4 in favor of Hagerty.
Nick Stentiford pitched for Hagerty, striking out seven, while Lukas Stirewalt pitched for West Orange, striking out ten.
Hagerty scored 10 runs in the 10th inning.
This victory sends Hagerty to the 7A state baseball final four.

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“We basically tell everybody, ‘I don’t care where you are in the lineup … you need to be able to bunt and move a runner over,” Sindone said. “We really wanted a productive AB so it’s, ‘Hey man, put a bunt down and get him over in scoring and see what happens.’ He did his job.”
West Orange intentionally walked the next hitter, Aiden Kearney, to load the bases. That brought Shaurya Bhosale to the plate. The sophomore third baseman answered the call, blasting a double to the fence in left-center field to clear the bases.
“I just had to get the ball deep enough in the outfield to score a run. I wanted to put the team up by one at least,” Bhosale said. “I ended up getting a good pitch to hit and I just hit it.”
The damage was done, but Hagerty wasn’t finished. The Huskies loaded the bases again, and senior Jalin Copeland blasted a towering grand slam to left-center field. Two batters later, Torres was back at the plate. No bunt sign this time. Torres launched a shot in nearly the identical spot as Copeland for a two-run homer and Hagerty was on its way to Fort Myers.
Brendan Beldowicz came on in the 10th to get the save.
It was Stentiford who allowed the Huskies to get to that 10th inning.
“He did a really good job. Nick Stentiford has come in in so many major spots for us this year,” Sindone said. “He’s built for it. He did it last year. He’s done it this year in almost every single game our starter couldn’t finish. He understands his job and he throws every pitch we call with full conviction.”
Hagerty will begin state semifinal play against Region 2 champ Venice (31-1) on Friday in Fort Myers. Venice swept Winter Haven in its regional final series.
Winter Springs High baseball player Brandon Curl slides into third base during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player gather during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball coach Mike Bradley is pictured during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Brandon Curl screams in celebratiion after hitting a triple and driving in a run during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball pitcher Tripp Rosenberger is pictured during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball players Tyler Kenast (left) and Brandon Curl (right) celebrate after Curl scored a run during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Edward Risano hits during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball pitcher Robbie Mungovan throws during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High pitcher Robbie Mungovan throws during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Brandon Curl hits during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Jackson Swann runs to third base during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High head coach Mike Bradley is pictured during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball pitcher Robbie Mungovan throws during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Tripp Rosenberger is pictured during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Brandon Curl rounds second base on his way to a triple during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Manny Sanchez hits during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Luke Walters watches his hit during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High baseball player Owen Swanson hits during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Winter Springs High pitcher Robbie Mungovan throws during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel) Show Caption1 of 20Winter Springs High baseball pitcher Robbie Mungovan screams in celebration after a strikeout during the 5A region baseball playoff game of Wesley Chapel at Winter Springs High School on Saturday, May 9, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)Expand
In other area action Saturday, Winter Springs was looking to send Wesley Chapel packing after winning the first game of their 5A, Region 2 series Friday night. The Bears, however, gave up 12 runs to Wesley Chapel on Saturday and are facing off in a Game 3 that started at 7 p.m. Saturday.
In 6A, Region 2, Lake Minneola was also forced into a Game 3 situation against Martin County High. After winning 6-5 on Friday night, the Hawks got blown out 10-4 on Saturday.
In 4A, Region 2, Bishop Moore sent Eustis home with two straight victories, 3-1 and 5-2.
In 2A, Region 2, The First Academy was forced into Game 3 after Lakeland Christian won a 13-7 decision on Saturday. TFA won Friday night 11-6 in a high-scoring series. Game 3 is tonight.
In 1A, Region 2, Orangewood Christian, in a region final rematch with Mount Dora Christian from last year, eliminated the Bulldogs with victories of 3-2 and 12-4.
Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.