This evening will start the road to the 2013 SFCBL Championship with four teams total competing for first place.  The South Division features the Florida Barons of Miami and the Pompano Beach Clippers.  The Clippers finished the season with a league best record of 21 wins and 5 loses.  They also had a strong lineup with seven players hitting over .300 including:

-Vinny Ferrarra (Tusculum University) at .414 with 20 RBI’s and 6 doubles.

-Gabe Scott (George Washington Univ.) at .375.

-Joshua Canabal (New York Tech) at .359 with 22 RBI’s and 4 doubles.

-Nolan Lodden (George Washington Univ.) at .350 with 28 hits and 19 runs.

The Clippers are also strong on the mound and led by right hander Andrew Archer (Florida Atlantic University) who has yet to give up an earned run this year.  He has also struck out 24 batters in 17.2 innings of work and only walked 6 batters.  Michael Cetta (Florida State University) has also been strong on the mound with a 0.91 ERA in 19.2 innings.  He has struck out 20 batters and only walked 3.  2012 SFCBL Pitcher of the Year Chris Ross (University of Tennessee) has also had a strong year with a 4-1 record striking out 25 batters in 22 innings.  6’6 right hander Brandon Burgess (Rollins College) has also been strong on the mound with a 5-1 record and 3.85 ERA.

The Florida Barons of Miami boast a high caliber Division 1 lineup including three players hitting over .300 and one player hitting over .400 including:

Brandon Gil (University of Arkansas) at .421

Alexander Fernandez (University of Miami) at .365

Alex Diaz (Florida Gulf Coast University) at .300

Also providing power in the Barons lineup is the son of former NY Met Gold Glove shortstop, Rey Ordonez.  Rey Ordonez Jr. (Broward C.C.) is currently hitting .254 with 3 HR's, 4 triples and 1 double.  Carlos Garmendia (Stetson University) is leading the team in RBI's with 21 and 4 doubles.

On the mound the Barons are very tough with a team ERA of 2.77 and six pitchers with under a 2.00 ERA.  Most notable include:

-David Lebron (Volunteer State C.C.) has yet to give up an earned run.  He is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and has struck out 22 batters in 15 innings.  Lebron has only walked 4 batters.

-Justin Machado (South Florida State) is 2-0 with a 0.33 striking out 16 batters in 27 innings of work.

-Ryan Guerra (Miami-Dade) currently has a .54 ERA in 17 innings pitched striking out 24 batters and only walking 2.

-Sam Abrams (University of Miami) has a 0.75 ERA and has struck out 18 batters in 12 innings of work.

The North Division features the Palm Beach Blazers and FOS Eagles of Loxahatchee.  The Blazers finished the regular season 16-13 and had four players finish the season hitting over .300 including:

Corey Hamula (Brockport State University) at .366

Cory Shaver (Keystone University) at .337

Caleb Goodwin (Christian Brothers University) at .323

Hayden Kelley (University of South Florida) at .310

The Blazers also have a solid pitching staff with a team ERA of 3.92.  Leading the staff is left hander Anthony Seblano (Northwood University) who is 3-0 this year with a 3.41 ERA and 24 K's in 29 innings pitched.  LHP Jack Parker (Christian Brothers University) has also been strong on the mound striking out 22 batters in 20.1 innings pitched.  Left hander Steven Fleming has been outstanding out of the pen with a 1.42 ERA and 12 K's in 12.2 innings of work.

The FOS Eagles of Loxahatchee had the 2013 SFCBL Offensive Player of the Year which was Brandon Thomasson (Texas Tech).  Brandon led the league in home runs with 11 and also had 24 RBI’s with 21 hits.  The Eagles also had six players hit over .300 including:

-Tanner Gandy (University of Texas) at .349 with 22 hits and 8 stolen bases.

-Alec Saikal (Southern Illinois Univ.) at .333 with 4 HR’s, 14 RBI’s and 22 hits.

-Sean Murrell (Florida Atlantic University) at .306 with 19 hits.

The Eagles are led on the mound by TJ Farjad (Palm Beach State) who has a 2.48 ERA with 19 K’s in 29 innings pitched.  Alex Koji (Florida Atlantic University) is leading the team in strikeouts with 26 in 17.2 innings pitched.  Hunter Kyzar has also been strong with a 2-0 record and 19 batters struck out in 19 innings pitched.

Overall the 2013 South Florida Collegiate Baseball League playoffs are loaded with talent and start tonight July 26^th at 6:30PM with the Pompano Beach Clippers playing the FOS Eagles of Loxahatchee in Ft Lauderdale.