- April 25, 2024
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Seabreeze's Cole Snowden bats during the regional playoff game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
Out at second by Seabreeze short stop Mason Boice during the regional game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze first baseman Cole Snowden attempts to thwart Beny Bikar Jr.'s (7) attempt to steal during the regional game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Sebring Blue Streaks introduce their lineup at the regional game against Seabreeze. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ethan Gilbert pitches the last inning of the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's third baseman Rustin Hurley waits for the ball as Sebring's Dalton Percy dives for the base. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Dylan Cavanaugh pitches the first four innings in the regional game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze baseball team salutes the flag as the National Anthem plays before the regional game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze short stop Mason Boice works the lineup before the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze pitcher Ethan Gilbert slaps hands with his teammates before the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Zachary Banks hits a single as his teammates watch in anticipation during the regional game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Zachary Banks singles during the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Zachary Banks fist bumps Seabreeze coach Cory Flickinger during the regional game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze pitcher Dylan Cavanaugh lets the ball rip during the regional game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's third baseman Rustin Hurley gets ready to bat in the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Rustin Hurley hits in the regional game against Sebring as he teammates watch from the dugout. Photo by Michele Meyers
FHSAA officials salute the flag as the National Anthem plays before the 5A regional playoff game. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze first baseman Cole Snowden waits for the throw to get the runner out during the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Coaches Ben Williams and Cory Flickinger give pointers from the dugout during the regional playoff game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze pitcher Dylan Cavanaugh warms up before the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Zachary Banks dives for second after attempting to steal as Beny Bikar Jr. flies to get the ball during the regional game. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Alex Merceir runs onto the field as he is announced before the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze baseball team seniors- Evan Miller, Scott Treur, Zachary Banks, Mason Boice, Dylan Cavanaugh and Ethan Gilbert. Photo by Michele Meyers
Dylan Cavanaugh at bat for the Sandcrabs in the regional game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Zachary Banks runs in for the only score for Seabreeze in the regional playoff game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Ethan Gilbert pitches the last two innings of the regionl plyaoff game against the Sebring Blue Streaks. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze coaches Ben Williams and Cory Flickinger. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze baseball team cheers on their teammates as they step up to bat first in the regional playoff game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head baseball coach Jeff Lemon (right) enjoys a momnet with coach Felix Anzola after the regional playoff game against Sebring. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze’s four-game win streak and drive toward the Class 5A state championship was halted by Sebring High School in a regional semifinal on May 12.
The Blue Streaks won 6-1. Center fielder Zachary Banks scored the Sandcrabs' lone run at Fireman’s Field, where locals claim Lou Gehrig once hit a home run.
Banks also scored two runs in the first round of regionals in a 2-1 win at Wesley Chapel.
“Going into regionals we were confident,” Seabreeze head coach Jeff Lemon said. “The guys knew they had accomplished something that had not been done in a while (winning a district championship). This team enjoyed that district championship trophy for the 30 minutes after the last out, cooler dumps and photos. After that it was business as usual. You could see a change in the program from content to wanting more.”
This season was a huge step for Seabreeze baseball as a whole. I’m ecstatic to say that I was part of it, but I know the next up will keep it rolling and go even deeper in the tournament. — Dylan Cavanaugh, Seabreeze pitcher
Evan Miller, Dylan Cavanaugh and Ethan Gilbert split pitching responsibilities in the regional games. Miller pitched seven innings against Wesley Chapel allowing five hits and one run with one strikeout. Cavanaugh pitched four innings against Sebring with Gilbert wrapping up the last inning of the game.
Lemon said there were a lot of unknowns going into this season. He was not sure who would step into each position, but as the season evolved so did his players’ development. He discovered Evan Miller and Cavanaugh were the top two on the mound. Zane Barron stepped into the role as catcher where he was skilled at controlling the opponents' running game.
Cavanaugh said this season was something the seniors had been talking about since their freshman year.
“We wanted to go all the way to states,” he said. “We tried talking it into existence, but we ended up falling short. We did do something for the program that hasn’t happened for a while and that’s a district championship.”
In 2019, seniors Banks, Mason Boice, Cavanaugh, Gilbert and Miller were freshmen and came into a program that had finished 2-24 the previous season. Conditioning was conducted in the faculty parking lot due to new track construction at the high school. The seniors made a promise to their peers and the coaches that they would “leave the program better than they found it,” and they did.
“This season was a huge step for Seabreeze baseball as a whole,” Cavanaugh said. “I’m ecstatic to say that I was part of it, but I know the next up will keep it rolling and go even deeper in the tournament.”
