LAKELAND — Anthony Iatarola’s junior season had been stellar before getting a little off track in his last two outings against IMG and Lakeland Christian that saw his ERA rise from 1.28 to 2.44.
When it counted, however, Iatarola returned to form.
Iatarola allowed just one hit through six inning then left after walking two batters in the seventh to lead George Jenkins to a 7-1 victory over Winter Haven on Friday night in the championship game of the Class 7A, District 6 baseball tournament.
“It’s like a tradition now, and it’s perfect,” Iatarola said of winning the district title. “And five time in a row, it’s awesome.”
Iatarola was a little less than awesome in the regular-season finale against Lakeland Christian a week ago when he allowed four runs, only one earned on three hits in two innings with two walks. That was coming off his worst out of the season against IMG.
The two games turned out to be just a hiccup in an otherwise excellent season. Against Winter Haven, he allowed just one hit. He wasn’t getting the call on low pitches that led to five walks — three through six innings — but did not let it affect his pitching.
“I was a little flustered by it, but then I got right back into the game,” he said.
Iatarola was fired up throughout the game, getting a little help in that regard from Winter Haven when the home plate umpire granted Winter Haven a time out that the batter called just as he was going into his windup. He showed the emotion after striking out the batter to end the inning.
“That’s what makes it fun,” Iatarola said. “That’s what you love about it.”
Jenkins coach James Kilborn was confident that his ace would return to form in the championship game.
“Everybody has a game where they struggle from time to time,” Iatarola said. “That doesn’t diminish what he is or what he’s done. We felt incredibly confident with him on the mound in this situation, and he showed why that he’s our No. 1.”
Iatarola, who also is batting .381, has made a big jump this season on the mound as he lowered his ERA from 3.44 as a sophomore to 2.26 after beating the Blue Devils. He credited better command, and his coach agreed.
“Last year, his command was up and down a little bit,” Killborn said. “He grew a lot, so I think that had something to do with his command last year. He’s kind of settled into his body, kind of figured out he’s bigger, stronger now and got his mechanics back to where they were his freshman year. strike zone.”
Iatarola got the run support he needed on Deniel Gonzalez’ two-run homer in the bottom of the third inning.
Reece Bowman added a solo home run in the fourth then singled home two runs in George Jenkins’ four-run sixth.
“The last couple of years we haven’t had many homers,” Iatarola said. “Now we have 10 on the season and it’s perfect.”
After Iatarola walked two batters to lead off the seventh, Revy Gomez came in to close out the game.
4A-8: Lake Wales grabs district title with 5th straight win
Senior Owen Leever pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings to lead Lake Wales to a 1-0 victory over Wauchula Hardee in the championship game of the Class 4A, District 8 tournament.
The victory gave Lake Wales (13-13) its fifth consecutive win as the Highlanders are making a late-season surge to even their record to .500.
Hardee outhit Lake Wales but couldn’t break through against Leever. He allowed seven hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
Zach Strickland came in and walked a batter with one out in the seventh, then Kooper Coconato recorded the final two outs to clinch the victory.
Lake Wales managed just two hits, both in the first inning that gave the Highlanders the only run they needed. Keaton Kohl led off the game with a single, and scored on Carson Hargo’s two-out single.
3A-9: McKeel cruised to district title
Carter Rouse drove in four runs, and Jorge Cordova drove in three runs to power McKeel to a 10-2 victory over Tampa Jefferson in the Class 3A, District 9 championship game.
Rouse and Cordova each finished with three hits, including a double.
Leading 2-0, McKeel broke open the game with five runs in the fourth.
Cordova also shut down Jefferson on the mound. He pitched six shutout innings before leaving with runners on base in the seventh. He struck out five and walked five.
2A-6: Lakeland Christian hangs on to win district title
Lakeland Christian grabbed a four-runlead after two innings off Santa Fe Catholic ace Jameson McGuire then held on for a 4-3 victory in the 2A-6 championship game.
Gavin Byrd and Parker Kant each drove in runs for the Vikings, who were held to five hits.
McGuire gave Santa Fe Catholic the chance to rally by shutting out LCS over the last five innings. He also went 2 for 4 and aided the comeback effort with a solo home run. In the third inning.
Alejandor Montenegro drove in two runs in the fifth inning.
Nathan Diaz pitched a scoreless seventh inning to preserve the win.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Iatarola shows ace form to lead George Jenkins to district title
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
