CHICAGO – Bouncing back from a 16-13 loss to Harper College in Game 1 of its doubleheader, the Olive-Harvey baseball team posted a 7-2 victory in the finale to earn a split Friday afternoon at West Chatham Park.
OHC led 11-9 in the opener heading into the seventh inning, but the Hawks tallied seven runs in their final at-bat to pull away 16-11. The Panthers countered with two runs to close the gap to three.
Gabriel Sanchez (Spring H.S./Houston, Texas) topped the offense with three hits in the setback, while Bryon Colon (Pro Baseball Academy/Arroyo, Puerto Rico) and Raul Estades (Osceula H.S./Kissimmee, Fla) both had two. Estades, a sophomore, also drove in a career-high three runs.
Kenneth O’Farrill (Vocacional Miguel Such H.S./Loiza, Puerto Rico), who scored twice, and Ronald Applewhite (Rich East H.S.) totaled two RBIs apiece.
Harper jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and was in front 4-1 when Olive-Harvey scored four times in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 5-4. After the guests took a 7-5 advantage in the fifth, the Panthers tied it in their half of the frame. The Hawks struck twice in the sixth, but OHC responded with four runs to pull away 11-9.
Outstanding pitching by Luis Lopez (John Leonard H.S./West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Rick Montenegro (Curie Metropolitan H.S.) helped pave the way to the game 2 victory. Lopez held Harper scoreless the first three innings. The sophomore right-hander allowed one hit and struck out five before giving way to Montenegro, who was credited with the win after giving up one earned run and five hits in the final four innings.
Jeremiah Williams’ (Thornton Fractional North H.S.) RBI gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Harper tied it at 1-1 in the fourth and went ahead 2-1 in the fifth courtesy of an unearned run. OHC, however, closed out the scoring with four runs in the fifth and two in the sixth.
Joseph Castillo (Bloom Trail H.S.) and William Wormsbecher (Pembroke Pines Charter/Pembroke Pines, Fla.) both finished with two hits, including a triple. Williams added a second RBI in the fifth inning.
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