Alford Leads Tampa Catholic Baseball Regional Quarterfinal Victory

In a game that mirrored their up and down season, Tampa Catholic's baseball team rallied for nine runs in the last two innings to defeat McKeel Academy of Lakeland, 14-7, in their Class 3A regional quarterfinal Tuesday.

The visiting Crusaders (13-13) were led by senior Cam Alford, who hit a three-run homer, double and single for seven runs batted in. He was aided by Nick Alfonso, who had three hits, including a double, and four RBIs, and Gio Marrero, who had three hits and two RBIs in the Crusaders’ 15-hit attack.

TC advances to the region semifinal at rival Clearwater Central Catholic Friday at 7 p.m. This is a rematch of last year’s semifinal when TC upset CCC on its way to the 3A state semifinals. CCC defeated the Crusaders 9-8 on a walk-off home run to win the district last week, and has defeated TC three times in four games this year.   

The Crusaders grabbed a 2-0 in the top of the first against McKeel on run-scoring singles by Alford and Marrero. After McKeel bounced back against starter Derek Martin to take a 5-2 lead after three innings, TC’s bats went to work.

JC Prado and Alfonso keyed a game-tying three-run rally in the fourth with RBI singles. Still tied at 5 in the sixth, Matt Darrigo hit a go-ahead double and Alfonso later hit another two-bagger making it 7-5. Marrero’s single added a run and Alford’s double concluded a five-run uprising. Alford punctuated his outstanding evening with a three-run homer in the seventh as part of a four-run outburst.

Junior Luke Helms got the win in relief of Martin, working the final four innings and allowing only two seventh-inning runs on three hits.