- September 22, 2024
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Cody Duke walks back to the dugout after popping out. Photo by Ray Boone
Hawks pitcher Christian Bennett celebrates after a double play. Photo by Ray Boone
The Hawks' second baseman throws to first base. Photo by Ray Boone
Hawks closer Zach Bennett releases a pitch against Lake Mary. Photo by Ray Boone
The Hawks' Camden Traficante connects on a pitch for a single. Photo by Ray Boone
As soon as the ball made contact with Cody Duke’s bat, the entire Hawks dugout erupted. Down one run in the top of the sixth inning, with runners on second and third base, Duke clobbered the ball.
It had the distance — but not the direction.
With the help of a steady left-to-right wind, Duke’s would-be homer sailed just outside the left field foul pole.
On the next attempt, the Hawks’ starting catcher refocused.
“I just tried to see the ball and hit it hard,” he said.
He popped out on his very next swing. And including the seventh inning, five of the next six batters were retired as Spruce Creek’s bid for a district title came up just short. After struggling at the plate for long stretches of the game, the Hawks were defeated by Lake Mary 1-0 in the District 2-9A Championship on Thursday, May 3, at Sanford Memorial Stadium.
Duke, who went 1-for-3 at the plate with a single in the first inning, said the team’s struggles with the bat stemmed from "trying to do too much," a theme reiterated by Hawks head coach Johnny Goodrich.
“We were right were we wanted to be,” Goodrich said. “Then, I think the moment got a little to big for us. We tried to do a little too much. You can’t blame the kids. The desire to win the game was there. It’s just that we lacked execution. The other team executed and we didn’t.”
Several times throughout the game, it seemed like Lake Mary was about to explode on the offensive end. Twice the Rams worked Hawks ace Christian Bennett into a jam, and twice Bennett escaped to keep his team within striking distance.
After giving up a double and hitting a batter with a pitch, Bennett walked the bases loaded with one out on the board in the first inning. The Hawks got out of it with a double play. The Rams loaded the bases once again in the fourth inning with one out to spare. The last batter went down swinging.
“He’s a warrior,” Goodrich said of Bennett. “He got himself into some trouble, executed some pitches and got himself out of trouble.”
In addition, Goodrich said that this was the first time since 2015 that the team has been in this position, adding to the nerves that come with playing against a squad with a hard-hitting lineup, consistent pitcher and 20-5 overall record.
The Hawks’ season is still not over, however. Spruce Creek already punched its ticket to the playoffs with a 5-1 win over DeLand on May 1. And despite the loss, the Hawks aren’t entering the regional tournament with feelings of defeat.
“I think this just lit the flame even more,” Duke said. “We’re going to go into the postseason angry and seeking blood.”
