Vero Beach High baseball team lost to Venice High 4-2 in the state semifinal, despite leading in the sixth inning. Venice scored three runs with two outs to secure the victory.
Key points
Vero Beach led Venice High by a run in the sixth inning
Venice scored three runs with two outs in the sixth inning
Carter Cox finished his senior season with a 13-0 record
The game ended with a score of 4-2 in favor of Venice
Bryan Rahal is the head coach of Vero Beach High baseball team
Mentioned in this story
Carter CoxBryan Rahal
Vero Beach HighVenice High
FORT MYERS – It’s fair and safe to say the Vero Beach High baseball team was four outs away from the biggest win in program history or at least the most impressive victory during Coach Bryan Rahal’s tenure.
Vero Beach led nationally ranked Venice High by a run with two outs in the sixth inning of a state semifinal.
Venice displayed why it is deserving of its lofty ranking by scoring three runs with two outs in the sixth.
Ace pitcher Carter Cox then notched the final three outs in the seventh for a 4-2 victory to cap his brilliant career and end his senior season 13-0.
“We were excited about the opportunity to play the No. 1 team in the country,” Rahal said after his 14th season at the helm of Vero Beach. “We really expected to come in here and beat them. We were ready and excited to play the game.
“To have a lead in the sixth inning, it’s tough. You’re feeling it with the lead right there. The kids deserved to win the game.”
The Vero Beach baseball team faced Venice High on Friday, May 15 in the FHSAA state semifinals in Fort Myers.
The Vero Beach baseball team faced Venice High on Friday, May 15 in the FHSAA state semifinals in Fort Myers.
The Vero Beach baseball team faced Venice High on Friday, May 15 in the FHSAA state semifinals in Fort Myers.
Q&A
What was the final score of the Vero Beach vs. Venice state semifinal?
The final score was Vero Beach 2, Venice 4.
Who was the ace pitcher for Venice High in the semifinal game?
Carter Cox was the ace pitcher for Venice High, finishing the game with a 13-0 record.
How did Vero Beach perform in the sixth inning against Venice?
Vero Beach led by a run with two outs in the sixth inning before Venice scored three runs to take the lead.
Who is the head coach of Vero Beach High baseball team?
The head coach of Vero Beach High baseball team is Bryan Rahal.
Related Articles
Sports·Recap
A'ja Wilson's 45-point night propels Aces over Suns
A'ja Wilson's 45-point game leads Aces to victory over Suns
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports·Recap
Jacksonville Waves fall in debut game of UpShot League
Jacksonville Waves fall short in their first UpShot League game against Charlotte Crowns, 103-95.
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NBA·Recap
Jalen Duren bounces back after struggling in Game 5 to keep Pistons' season alive
Jalen Duren bounces back with 15 points to keep Pistons alive, forcing Game 7!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
MLB·Recap
Pozo's hit in 11th lifts Cardinals over Royals, setting off celebration among shirtless fans
Yohel Pozo's clutch hit secures 5-4 win for Cardinals over Royals!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
These women are training to represent the US in an Olympic sport they'd never heard of
Meet the women training to represent the U.S. in handball, an Olympic sport they just discovered!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
Royals drop fifth straight in 11 innings, 5-4
Royals drop fifth straight game, losing 5-4 to White Sox in 11 innings.
With Vero Beach (24-5) holding a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, Kane Judson took over as a pinch-runner at second base after Beau Daniel hit a one-out double.
Vero Beach starter Cody Morgan, who matched Cox pitch for pitch while he was in the game, recorded a strikeout for the second out of the inning.
No. 8 hitter Maddox Volk singled in Judson to tie the game. No. 9 hitter Kohen Poplin singled to chase Volk to third.
With Morgan at his pitch limit, Vero Beach turned to Colt Miller.
Venice leadoff hitter August Backman broke the deadlock with a single. Poplin scored on a balk for an insurance run.
“It’s fair to say we were four outs from being 1-0 on the day,” Rahal said. “That’s what we came here to do.”
The Vero Beach baseball team faced Venice High on Friday, May 15 in the FHSAA state semifinals in Fort Myers.
The Vero Beach baseball team faced Venice High on Friday, May 15 in the FHSAA state semifinals in Fort Myers.
Vero Beach put a scare into Venice.
Vero Beach had Venice (32-1) on the ropes.
“Maybe it looks calm, like the ducks above the water, but the feet are going crazy. That’s what it felt like in the dugout,” Venice coach Craig Faulkner said after Vero Beach took the lead. “We battled all year. We played the best teams in the nation. And we’ve come back from behind several times. That is the kind of players we have: They don’t give up. When they are down, they don’t get down on each other. They come through in big moments.”
A Florida Atlantic University commit who likely will be selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft, Cox stymied Vero Beach on two hits through five innings.
Vero Beach had its breakthrough after Cox issued his only walk of the game to No. 9 hitter Jordan Tomas to open the sixth.
Leadoff hitter Nate Downey pushed a bunt past third for his second hit of the game against Cox. When Dom Lopez dropped another bunt, Cox threw it past third allowing pinch-runner Eli Thiemann to score and sending Downey to second.
Caleb Wood then lofted a sacrifice fly to right field to give Vero Beach the lead.
“On the bus ride here we were all together, pulling for each other in the dugout,” Downey said. “We were just thinking let’s go attack this as a team.”
Throwing 68 strikes among his 97 pitches, Cox surrendered three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts. He was perfect through three innings.
“A good, riding fastball,” Downey said of the left-handed Cox. “I didn’t see any breaking balls. He ran it in.”
The Vero Beach baseball team faced Venice High on Friday, May 15 in the FHSAA state semifinals in Fort Myers.
The Vero Beach baseball team faced Venice High on Friday, May 15 in the FHSAA state semifinals in Fort Myers.
Morgan matches Cox pitch for pitch
Morgan was just as good as Cox while he was in the game.
In 5 ⅔ innings, the senior right-hander gave up five hits and was charged with four runs with two walks and seven strikeouts.
“Listen, he was really good,” Faulkner said of Morgan. “Really electric fastball. It had a little ride to it. We were hoping he was going to settle down and not throw as hard. Maybe that happened when he got his pitch count up. I was really impressed with their pitcher. Hat’s off to him. He pitched really well.”
Morgan took the compliment gracefully.
“Thank you to them. It means a lot,” Morgan said. “I knew I wasn’t going to strike a lot of kids out. I was pitching to contact.”
Despite only two free passes, Venice drove Morgan’s pitch count up by fouling pitches off. He threw the maximum 105 pitches, 67 strikes.
“They are hard to get out,” Morgan said. “They are a very competitive team at the plate. They see a lot of pitches.”
Morgan has the career record for wins with 30. He finished his senior season 9-5. Ironically, he was tagged with all of Vero Beach’s losses.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” Morgan said on the end of his scholastic career. “Obviously, I know it was a pretty decent career. It’s gonna be tough.”
Rahal had nothing except praise for Morgan, heading to the University of South Alabama.
“He’s one of the best ever to play the game,” Rahal said. “One of the best ever to get on the mound. I told him before the game, there was no one I’d rather go in this game with or go to war with for lack of a better word than him on the mound. He’s a fearless competitor.”
Two years ago when Vero Beach previously reached the Final 4, Morgan pitched the regional final game that got the team into the state semifinals, so he was not able to pitch in the game against Parkland Stoneman Douglas, a 9-7 setback.
“To get back here, I’m glad he got that opportunity to throw this game,” Rahal said. “He’s an amazing young man, a fearless warrior. He’ll be sorely missed, as all of our guys are.”
Vero Beach graduates nine seniors. Along with Morgan, Downey and Miller are Caleb Wood, Charles “Chuck” Singletary IV, Jaxon Pomar, Jordan Tomas, Brandon Walker, JT McLaughlin.
“The senior crew will be sorely missed,” Rahal said. “Give them a round of applause. It was a valiant effort.”
