Jake Rizzo and Mikael Ghann. {954 Preps}
The Original Florida Poker’s baseball team continued their success, competing in some of the nation’s best tournaments.
The 2025 team, which won the BCS Championship earlier this summer, competed in their biggest tournament in Jupiter at the WWBA World Championship. The Pokers went 2-0 in pool play and earned the fourth seed after recording a walk-off win, a triple play, and a home run from Bennett Gary.
The 2026 team outscored its opponents 16-5 in its first three wins during the tournament but fell 5-1 in its final game. They then played in their big tournament at the beginning of October. Before the weather postponed play, the Pokers were 2-1 and would have qualified for bracket play. They lost 1-0 in their first match despite 12 combined strikeouts from Julian Diaz and Blake Sundberg.
Nate Hernandez pitched the second game, winning 3-1. He allowed only one run in four innings with nine strikeouts before Rodney Chung earned the win in relief with three hitless innings. Chung drove in a run early in the game before Jake Rizzo and Johnny Chen See added RBI hits in the top of the seventh.
They went on to win 10-0 in their final game behind a complete game from Brandon Pfeiffer. He struck out seven while Chen See and Leo Marrero each drove in two. Roman Zabala, Nick Fernandez, Rizzo, Jaden Doverspike, and Cade Raley also knocked in runs.
The Pokers also had their 2027 team finish the summer 16-17 and had their 2028 play in the Fall Word Series, with their lone win coming by a 7-0 shutout. Cade Kuhlmeier, Charlie Acienro, Kash Platt, and Jackson Evans drove in runs, while Jacob Hayes won on the mound. He tossed three scoreless innings before Tyler Stertzback recorded the save with two more scoreless innings and three punchouts.
The 2029 team also competed in that tournament and had 13-0, 12-1, 9-1, and 8-4 wins before they lost their last game 13-2. The Pokers had 11 players drive in runs, led by five from Mathius Carrasquel, Ethan Labott, and Brady Mudlin. Carrasquel also homered in the team’s first game and picked up a win on the mound along with Mudlin, Johan Valbuena, and Gio Monserrate.
The starting pitchers combined to allow only two runs during their victories while pitching 14 innings and striking out 14. Nico Dibella, Labbott, and Luca Broadhead all pitched well in relief. Offensively, Dibella and Lincoln combined to drive in five runs. Robbie Diegnan drove in three, while EJ Quigley, Chance Zabala, Justin Halaoui, and Gustavo Murrlo plated two.
The 2030 team is 3-3 this fall, scoring at least five runs in all its wins. However, they also had a pair of one-run losses and fell 9-3.
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