MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - The St. Thomas Bobcats wasted no time setting the tone in Game One, erupting for a big first inning and never looking back in a 16–6 win over McPherson.
St. Thomas jumped ahead immediately in the bottom of the first. Daytan Biegel launched a three-run homer to left field to put the Bobcats on the board, scoring Alan Nava and Luis Suarez. The offense kept rolling moments later when Nicholas Alonso lined an RBI single to right, bringing home Erick Ballenill and giving STU an early 4–0 lead.
McPherson got on the board in the third with an RBI single, but the Bobcats answered right back. Lester Martinez ripped a double down the left-field line, driving in two runs, and Yoel Rojas followed with an RBI double of his own to push the lead to 7–1.
The Bulldogs chipped away in the fourth and fifth innings, highlighted by a two-run homer, trimming the deficit to just one run at 7–6. Any momentum McPherson built was short-lived.
In the bottom of the fifth, Edwin Toribio delivered the knockout blow, blasting a grand slam to left-center field to restore breathing room and ignite the St. Thomas dugout. The Bobcats led 11–6 after five and were far from finished.
St. Thomas poured it on in the sixth, capitalizing on wild pitches and aggressive baserunning to score four more runs. Nava added another RBI with a single up the middle, and Biegel capped off his big day with an RBI single to right field.
With a relentless offensive attack and timely extra-base hits, the Bobcats closed out Game One in dominant fashion, setting the stage for the rest of the series.
In Game Two, the Bobcats leaned on smart baserunning, clean execution, and timely power to secure a 3–0 victory in a tightly played contest.
St. Thomas struck first in the second inning by applying pressure on the bases. A wild pitch allowed Erick Ballenill to move up, Daytan Biegel to advance to third, and Alan Nava to come home with the game's opening run, giving the Bobcats a 1–0 lead without the benefit of a hit.
The Bobcats added to the cushion in the sixth with fundamental baseball. Eddie Novoa laid down a sacrifice bunt and was thrown out at first, but the play did its job as Lester Martinez advanced and Ballenill crossed the plate to make it 2–0.
Insurance came in the eighth inning courtesy of Biegel, who crushed a solo home run to left field to extend the lead to three. The blast punctuated a strong all-around performance from the Bobcats.
St. Thomas pitching and defense took care of the rest, preserving the shutout and sealing a well-earned 3–0 win built on discipline, execution, and just enough power at the right time.
-STU-
