TAMPA — Another postseason game, another Jesuit win.
Kasey Radke picked up the victory and Michael Sandborn shut the door as Jesuit defeated visiting Boca Ciega 3-2 Wednesday night in a Class 5A region quarterfinal.
It was the sixth consecutive season Jesuit has at least reached the region quarterfinals. The Tigers (21-7) will host Robinson, a team they’ve beaten three times this season, on Tuesday.
“Robinson always plays us tough and it’s tough to beat a team once,” Jesuit coach Richie Warren said. “We’re expecting another dogfight.”
Radke (7-1) cruised through much of the night. The senior southpaw scattered three hits through 5 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking a pair before giving way to Sandborn, who picked up his first save of the season.
“Kasey was coming up on the third time through the lineup and he was getting up near the pitch count we felt comfortable with him,” Warren said. “We felt it was the right move and Michael came in and executed.”
Tully Allen’s RBI single in the second made it 3-1 heading into the top of the sixth. After a leadoff flyout, a walk and double chased Radke from the game. Nick Adams’ infield chop went for an RBI single, putting runners at first and third. But Sandborn fanned the next batter and induced a groundout to end the threat.
“I was just going in there looking to hit the zone and execute pitches,” said Sandborn, who had been starting games recently after pitching out of the bullpen earlier in the season. “I like to set the pace starting and I think I’m a little more comfortable doing that. It was a little nerve-racking but I made it through.”
Jesuit scored a run in each of the first three innings. Danny Lastra and Nick Ortega each delivered RBI singles, then Ryan McCullers came around to score in the third on a wild pitch.
More 5A: At Bradenton, Robinson (10-16) nabbed a 6-0 win over Bayshore. Nathan Doherty and Jack White got on with a walk and a single, respectively, in the first inning, and Tommy Craparo drove Doherty in with a two-out single. Shawn Herron followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
In the second, TJ Cole walked to get on and Darius Autry drove him in with an RBI single to rightfield. Doherty singled to bring Autry in for the 4-0 advantage.
The rest of Robinson’s runs came in the fourth inning, both on errors by Bayshore.
Information from the Herald-Tribune was used in this report.