State Tournament Recap: SF Baseball
May 13, 2021

State Tournament Recap: SF Baseball

GAINESVILLE, FLA. - Santa Fe baseball's 2021 season concluded on Sunday, May 9 in the FCSAA State Championship Game. After losing their first game of the double-elimination tournament, tne Saints rattled off four consecutive wins and finished as the tournament runners-up, coming within one win of advancing to the NJCAA Division I World Series after falling by a final score of 10-5 to No. 20 Miami Dade.

In Context

It was the Saints' sixth consecutive trip to the FCSAA State Tournament under Head Coach Johnny Wiggs' direction, and 11th appearance in 14 seasons (the 2020 season was cut short). 
 

SF Results

5/5 - vs. Northwest Florida State College, L (11-3) - Recap | Box Score | Photos

5/6 - vs. Indian River State College, W (8-7) - Recap | Box Score | Photos

5/7 - vs. Pensacola State College, W (10-0, 5 inn.) - Recap | Box Score | Photos

5/8 - vs. No. 20 Miami Dade College, W (11-1, 5 inn.) - Recap | Box Score | Photos

5/9 - vs. Northwest Florida State College, W (5-0) - Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

5/9 (FCSAA State Championship Game) - vs. No. 20 Miami Dade College, L (10-5) - Recap | Box Score | Photos

Here are some of the additional highlights for the Saints from the tournament, which was played at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla.

All-State Honorees

Santa Fe had three players earn FCSAA All-State/All-NJCAA Region 8 honors, which was announced prior to the tournament. Story
 
Pitcher Robb Adams joined infielder Luis Rodriguez on the First Team, while pitcher Mitchell Gross was selected to the Second Team.

   

All-Tournament Team 

The Saints had seven players named to the All-Tournament Team, and Robb Adams, who threw the first no-hitter in tournament history, was named the Bob Zerky Pitcher of the Tournament.
 
Bob Zerky Pitcher of the Tournament: Robb Adams
 

   

      

 

Some Key Moments

Moronta's Walkoff Against Indian River

The Saints won 8-7 in the second game of the tournament over Indian River on a walkoff hit in extra-innings, with heroics from Xavier Moronta. 

5-Inning Run Rule Wins over Pensacola State & Miami Dade

The Saints claimed their spot into the final Sunday with lopsided victories over the Pirates and Sharks.

Robb Adams' Historic No-Hitter

Adams' no-hitter against Northwest Florida represented his second complete game shutout of the season, and his final line included just one walk, one Saints' error, and two hit batsmen. He struck out seven and faced just three more batters over the minimum.
 
The only thing keeping Adams from being perfect through the first seven innings was an error and hit-by-pitch, as he kept Northwest Florida off balance all game long with a mix of pitches. Rodriguez made the defensive play of the game with a leaping snag at third base in the fifth inning to keep the no-hitter alive. 
 

Wiggs' Words

"I'm so proud of my guys and their toughness and resiliency throughout the week. It would have been easy to fold the tent up after losing game one of the tournament. They impressed me all week and I am proud to be their coach. Of course it's disappointing to come so close to the State and Regional Championship and a trip to the NJCAA World Series, but we will look back in a short period of time and be thankful for the run that we had and the season that we had."
 

The Saints concluded the 2021 campaign with a 33-13 record, a Mid-Florida Conference Championship with an 18-4 mark in MFC play, and the runner-up finish at the FCSAA State Tournament.