State Bound

The Jesuit High School baseball team exploded for seven runs in the first two innings and defeated Belleview 9-4 on Friday (May 26) to capture the Region Championship and reach the State Tournament for the 20th time in program history.

The Tigers will face Dunedin (22-8) on Thursday (June 1) at 1:00pm in a Class 6A State Semifinal at Centurylink Sports Complex in Fort Myers. The championship game is Sat. June 3 at 12:35pm.

Friday, Jesuit (24-6) got all the runs it would need in the 1st inning, staking a 5-0 lead. McGuire Weaver ’18 tripled and Alex Mocny ’17 and Mitchell Thrower ’17 both doubled as the Tigers sent nine to the plate.

Starter Jack Anderson ’18 pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, and reliever Jeff Hakanson ’17 went the final 2 2/3 and also yielded two runs. All of Belleview’s runs came in the 5th inning, and they are the only runs Jesuit has surrendered in the District and Region playoffs.

Leadoff hitter Joel Brewer ’18 doubled, tripled, and scored three runs Friday, Weaver and Thrower had 2 RBI apiece, Jake Jones ’17 had 3 hits and 2 runs, and Thomas Bencivenga ’17 reached base all four plate appearances.

Jesuit has reached the State Tournament six times in the past eight seasons. The most recent of Jesuit's four State Championships came in 2014, when this year’s seniors were freshmen.