PORT ORANGE — Spruce Creek pitcher Jordan Livingston pitched 7⅔ innings, struck out 11, only walked two batters and allowed just two hits, but he’s the one who took the loss in Hagerty’s series-sealing 1-0 victory in the Region 1-7A semifinals on May 3.
The Huskies forced a decisive Game 3 the day prior in a similar fashion, beating the Hawks 2-1 in 10 innings in another pitcher’s duel that required extra action.
With a spot in the Elite Eight on the line, Livingston couldn’t have pitched better. It took 3⅓ innings before a single Hagerty player touched first base. He didn’t show any signs of slowing down until he was nearing the 105-pitch maximum with one out remaining.
“For him to get a loss in that game is tough,” Spruce Creek coach Matt Cleveland said.
Huskies’ Shaurya Bhosale, the hero that delivered the 10th-inning walk-off hit on May 2, singled off Livingston in the top of the eighth inning, and Luis Cruz earned a walk with two outs. That’s when Livingston was taken out with 103 pitches under his belt.
Logan Hill was put on the mound for Spruce Creek, but he hit Jared Rivera and Carlos Cruz consecutively to bring home Bhosale for the go-ahead run.
It wasn’t without some drama, as Morgan Corder singled and Seamus Moylan walked to put two Hawks on base with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Mason Sanders flew out to left field to end the game.
“We had guys with a chance to score in the last two games multiple times and couldn’t get a hit with two outs,” Cleveland said. “You got to give them credit. They made pitches, and I guess they figured out a way to score a run. We gave it to them.”
Neither team had more than one runner on base in the first seven innings because, unfortunately for Spruce Creek, Hagerty pitcher Keltan Fitzegerald was having a game similar to Livingston’s. The senior also threw 7⅔ innings before reaching his maximum pitch count, and Nick Stentiford delivered the final out of the game.
Fitzgerald finished with seven strikeouts, five hits allowed and walked one batter in the shutout.
“There’s no other feeling like it,” Fitzgerald said. “To win with this team, it’s just so exciting. It’s awesome.”
Sunday’s game finished a series that was decided by one run in all three contests. Prior to the Huskies’ 1-0 win on May 3 and 2-1 victory on May 2, Spruce Creek defeated Hagerty 4-3 on a walk-off single from Hill in the bottom of the seventh inning on May 1.
The Hawks were winners of 12 straight, including an 11-1 triumph over Flagler Palm Coast in their Region 1-7A quarterfinal, heading into their regional semifinal series against the Huskies.
But it was No. 3 seed Hagerty that was able to get the job done and end No. 2 Spruce Creek’s season. The Hawks finished the year with an impressive 26-5 record and a top-20 ranking in the state, but it may take a while for Spruce Creek to appreciate the season it had.
“I have no complaints about our guys,” Cleveland said. “Every day, they showed up to work, and to lose like this is heartbreaking. There’s no other way around it.”
Hagerty will host No. 4 West Orange in a best-of-three series beginning on May 8 for a spot in the state semifinals.
Trinity Christian falls to Orangewood Christian
Spruce Creek’s loss solidified the end of the Volusia-Flagler area’s baseball season after No. 4 Trinity Christian was swept by No. 1 Orangewood Christian in the Region 2-1A semifinals.
The Eagles lost the first game 11-1 on May 1, but they managed to make the second one interesting before ultimately falling short.
Trinity Christian trailed Orangewood Christian 7-4 heading into the top of the seventh inning, its only chance to make a comeback.
And the Eagles almost did.
It started when Reilley Oglageo walked to kick off the frame, which was followed by a home run from Anthony Panetta to being Trinity Christian within a run with zero outs. All of a sudden, the Eagles had a chance to at least force the Rams to bat in the seventh.
Trinity Christian’s next three batters struck out and hit two flyouts to end the game without anybody on base.
The Eagles finished the 2026 season 14-10.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Spruce Creek baseball season ends in Region 1-7A semifinals to Hagerty
Reporting by Zach Allen, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
