By Dave Brousseau BCAA Writer
FORT MYERS – The Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas baseball team has been waiting seven years since its last state title.
The itch is over.
Led by senior starting pitcher Jonathan Lopez, the Raiders defeated Gainesville Buchholz 8-3 for the FHSAA Class 6A state championship at Hammond Stadium on Saturday.
The title was their first since 2018 and fourth in school history. The eight runs scored was the most allowed by the Bobcats (33-3) this season.
The Raiders’ other baseball championships came in 1995 and 2003. Their fourth overall title joins Archbishop McCarthy (7) and Douglas (6) with the most in Broward County history.
As St. Thomas (29-6-1) did in its 15-run semifinal shutout victory on Friday, they scored runs in bunches with three each in the first and second innings for a 6-2 lead.
“When we get some runs, we need to only stack one or two at a time,” said Aquinas coach Joey Wardlow. “For everyone we get, they must score two to beat us. We went with that plan and took advantage of some mistakes.”
Up by one in the second, Lopez drilled a two-run double down the right-field line, giving the Raiders a 6-2 lead. He was later brought home on an RBI single to the left field by Joshua Jennings.
The Raiders completed the day with eight hits, including three doubles.
“They had excellent bats by those guys,” said Buchholz coach Ron Brooks. “The biggest inning was when they put up three in the first and three again in the second. It wasn’t our day. It was their day.”
Lopez was steady on the mound, allowing three hits with three strikeouts to earn the victory.
Perhaps the biggest play of the game came in the second inning when junior center fielder Nico Sabatino ran down a deep fly to centerfield with a diving over the shoulder catch.
Said Sabatino,” That’s what I pride myself in doing and that’s playing defense. I go out and make those plays and that’s what I do. That’s normal for me.”
“I went out there knowing I could trust my defense and throw strikes,” said Lopez “I knew if I could throw in the zone, I would have a chance to win the game.”
SO LONG COACH WATERS
A combined 50 years as the St. Thomas Aquinas head baseball and assistant coach, Ed Waters tenure came to a happy conclusion on Saturday with the Raiders Class 6A state title.
Waters was hired as Raiders head coach in 1976 by former athletic director George Smith after three years as an assistant.
“The game remains the same no matter how long you stay in it,” said Waters. “The kids were wonderful back then and they still are today. I’ll still be there. I live a few miles from the school and can go to any game. All the guys that have been part of the program have been great.”
Coach Waters has been part of all four of the programs state championships and finished with a 181-173-1 career record either leading or assisting the 10 state tournament appearances.
“There’s no way to put a value of winning another title. What a way to go out.”
Dave Brousseau can be reached on X at @dbrouss76 – or via e-mail at:
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