- March 18, 2026
Seabreeze's Wrigley Zweifel bats against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze catcher Nathaniel Anderson warms up with pitcher Tommy Hayes before the game against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Dallas Newkirk bats against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze first baseman Austin Upchurch is safe at home against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze freshman shortstop Dallas Newkirk grabs a hit as Horizon's Denver Patton attempts to get back to second on March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze first baseman Austin Upchurch snags the ball for a Horizon out on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Nathaniel Anderson runs to first as Horizon's Nico Loaiza forces the out on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Horizon pitcher Michael Singer zings one in their during the game against Seabreeze on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
A Horizon batter gets beaned during the game against Seabreeze on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze catcher Nathaniel Anderson waits on the batter during the game against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze pitcher Parker Chieppa replaces Tommy Hayes in the fifth inning during the game against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze batter Wrigley Zweifel hits a single during the game against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze pitcher Parker Chieppa checks the second base runner during the game against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Tie goes to the Horizon runner as Seabreeze first baseman Austin Upchurch attempts to tag him out on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
A Horizon runner gets ready to take off as Seabreeze's Tommy Hayes pitches on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze batter Cole Sager connects for a hit during the game against Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head coach Jeff Lemon (center left) congratulates his friend, Horizon head coach Dane Wisneski (center right) on Wednesday, March 11 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
It’s the bottom of the fourth. Score is Horizon 8, Seabreeze zilch. First baseman Austin Upchurch steps to the plate with Wrigley Zweifel on first and Nathaniel Anderson on second. Upchurch hits a double deep into left field. Anderson and Zweifel score. Upchurch runs in following a single by Mason Sisk.
The Sandcrabs finish the inning with a double by Cole Sager and a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Dallas Newkirk, bringing home Sisk and Jacob Imhoff, respectively. Their rally ended with a run in the sixth by Imhoff and a triple by Upchurch in the seventh, driving Campbell in and leading to a run by Upchurch. Seabreeze fell short 9-8 to Horizon on Wednesday, March 11, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
Seabreeze head coach Jeff Lemon said he has been talking to his team about quality at-bats all season. The first time through the lineup, the Sandcrabs were two for nine with quality at-bats, and the second time through the lineup, they scored five runs and were eight for nine in quality at-bats.
“The more quality at-bats you have through the lineup and nine guys, the better chances you have to create some heat on the defense and create some havoc on them,” he said. “As long as our offense stays mentally understanding that we have a lethal offense that will compete one through nine, which to this point of the season, it’s shown that no at-bat is going to be just given away from our offense.”
The more quality at-bats you have through the lineup and nine guys, the better chances you have to create some heat on the defense and create some havoc on them." — JEFF LEMON, Seabreeze head baseball coach
Lemon said Dane Wisneski, the Horizon head coach, is his best friend. They both knew that after scheduling home-and-away games against each other, the teams would be competitive.
“We knew going into this we were setting up two quality baseball teams to compete, and at the end of the day, that’s all we can ask for, is seeing two quality baseball teams compete to the highest level,” Lemond said. “Unfortunately, there has to be a loser, and it was us tonight, but I strongly believe in our guys’ ability to bounce back.”
Every season, the players vote on who they would like to have as their team captains. Lemon said they call the group the leadership team. Seniors Jacob McKinnon, Upchurch, Tommy Hayes, and junior Zweifel are this season’s leaders. Lemon meets with them a couple of times throughout the fall and again in the spring, to get a player-to-player “heat check”.
“It’s morphed into something really cool, to where you can get young men out of their comfort zone, present to them an itinerary of what we’re going to go over that evening, and then they’re able to then go back to their teammates and regurgitate information that we’ve gone over,” Lemon said. “In a sense, it creates a leadership kind of montage.”
The Sandcrabs are spending their spring break playing in the State Farm Bureau Invitational on the west coast of Florida this week. Seabreeze won 9-2 in the first round against River Ridge on Tuesday, March 17. Newkirk was instrumental in solidifying the win over the Royal Knights after driving in three runs with a double in the fifth inning and another run following a single in the fourth.
The Sandcrabs lost 14-10 to Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, Spring Hill, the same day. They will play Palm Harbor University High School on Wednesday, March 18.
Lemond said this is their fifth year traveling to participate in tournaments during spring break.
“This gets these guys out of their comfort zone,” Lemon said. “I tell the guys, as long as they do what we’re asking them to do, as far as being a good human, a good person and a good player, or a good student and a good player, then we’ll continue to take them on these trips, because it is rewarding them for all the work and all the time that they put in. Being able to reap the benefits of their hard work throughout the season kind of keeps them inspired and motivated.”
Lemon got teary-eyed when he talked about his team.
“Obviously, we make changes where they’re warranted, but for the most part, to allow these guys to feel the consistency, we come out here with the same attitude every day,” he said. “Are there days that I come out here upset? Absolutely, but as soon as I walk through the threshold in the dugout, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
