Jupiter Hammerheads Championship Program

GAME 1 GAME 1

SEPT, 12, 2023

PALM BEACH CARDINALS VS JUPITER HAMMERHEADS

JUP WINS 3-2 in THE 10TH JUP WINS 3-2 in THE 10TH

Hammerheads Win Game Hammerheads Win Game

One in Extra Innings One in Extra Innings

BY: RYER GARDENSWARTZ

The Jupiter Hammerheads are one win away from moving onto the Florida State League Championship series after beating the Palm Beach Cardinals Tuesday night. The two stadium-mates open the best of three FSL Divisional series, with the Hammerheads taking the first round 3-2 in extra innings at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

The Hammerheads clinched the playoffs for the first time since 2012, after winning the second half of the FSL East Division. Their neighbors, the Palm Beach Cardinals, are the first-half winners.

On the other side, Pete Hansen got the start for the Cardinals and pitched five shutout innings with four strikeouts and just two hits.

Palm Beach was the first to strike when Chase Davis connected for an RBI single to right field in the fifth inning.

The Cardinals would hold onto their 1-0 lead until the bottom of the eighth inning. With Johnny Olmstead standing on second base, Jan Mercado tied up the game with an RBI single.

Tied at one, both teams would score a run in the ninth inning. For Palm Beach, it was Jose Cordoba scoring after a fielding error. In the bottom half, Brett Roberts started things off with a lead-off double. A few batters later, Roberts would easily score courtesy of a Mark Coley double. Jupiter had the bases loaded with just one out but was unable to get the winning run across.

In extra innings, Jupiter’s bullpen strung together a 1-2-3 frame. To lead off the bottom of the tenth, Jordan McCants would hit a sacrifice bunt and Mercado would score the game-winner after a fielding error for the Cardinals to make it a 2-1 victory.

Beyond Meyer starting strong, the entire Jupiter pitching staff had a strong night limiting Palm Beach to just three hits. Xavier Meachem and Dale Stanavich each threw 2.1 innings of relief. For the later innings, the Hammerheads turned to FSL saves leader Evan Taylor, who pitched 1.1 hitless innings. Nigel Belgrave would get the final out for Jupiter and earn the win.

The Hammerheads and Cardinals will play Game Two of the Divisional Round on Thursday night at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Right-hander Jacob Miller is expected to get the start for Jupiter, as Palm Beach turns to RHP Hancel Rincon. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available here. The first 250 fans into the ballpark will also receive a playoff rally towel presented by Fairfield Inn.

For Game One’s full box score, CLICK HERE

GAME 2 GAME 2

SEPT, 14, 2023

JUPITER HAMMERHEADS VS PALM BEACH CARDINALS

JUP WINS 7-6 in THE 11TH JUP WINS 7-6 in THE 11TH

BY: RYER GARDENSWARTZ

The Jupiter Hammerheads are moving on to the 2023 Florida State League Championship. The Hammerheads win Game Two and sweep their stadium partners the Palm Beach Cardinals on Friday night to secure the title of East Division Champions. It will be Jupiter's first time in the Championship series since 2012, when they finished as runner-ups to the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

For the second straight game, the Hammerheads and Cardinals needed extra innings to decide a winner. This time, Jupiter outlasted them with a 7-6 win in the 11th inning.

Kemp Alderman got the scoring started by driving in Ian Lewis with an RBI double in the first inning. The Marlins 2nd round pick from the 2023 draft had a big impact on the contest, finishing the game 3-5.

After leading 1-0, the Hammerheads would see their lead quickly disappear after a three-run second inning from the Cardinals. Palm Beach would strike again in the third inning after a Joshua Baez solo home run.

Jupiter would respond and eventually tie the contest at four. In the fourth inning, Alderman would score after a Mark Coley RBI single. In the sixth, two runs would score with Coley around the action yet again. The Rhode Island graduate reached on a fielder’s choice as Brett Roberts and Alderman scored after a fielding error from Palm Beach.

The two teams would continue to go back and forth. In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Cardinals would take a 6-5 lead before Jan Mercado tied the game in the top of the eighth inning.

With the score tied at five, the two clubs would enter extra innings. Both teams would threaten in the 10th with runners reaching third, but both pitching staffs held strong to maintain the tie.

In the 11th frame, Lewis would lead things off with an RBI triple to score Mercado. The triple capped off a big day for the Marlins' No. 30 overall prospect who finished 2-5. Moments later, Lewis was able to score and give Jupiter a two-run lead. However, Palm Beach wouldn’t give up. The Cardinals tallied a run in the bottom half of the inning with a sacrifice fly from first-rounder Chase Davis. In a 7-6 game and with two outs, the Hammerheads bullpen was able to get the final out and punch a ticket to the Championship.

Both pitching staffs needed five arms to survive the extra-innings marathon. For the Hammerheads, right-hander Jacob Miller got the start and pitched four innings. The 13th overall prospect for the Marlins gave up four runs and struck out three batters before being relieved.

First

out of the bullpen for Jupiter

was Collin Lowe. The righty faced 11 batters and pitched three innings for the Hammerheads. After the Connecticut native, Josh Ekness, Evan Taylor, and Riskel

Tineo combined for four innings to close things out for Jupiter.

Ekness allowed just one hit in his lone inning pitched. Taylor would earn the win after two shutout innings with just one hit allowed, and Tineo worked the final frame to earn the save.

After securing the final out, the Hammerheads emptied the dugout to celebrate on the field. Jupiter will host Game One of the Florida State League Championship at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Sunday, September 17 at 6:00 PM. The Hammerheads will square off against the Wet Division champs, the Clearwater Threshers, who outlasted the Lakeland Flying Tigers in three games. Game Two and Three (if necessary) of the Championship series will take place at Clearwater

CLICK HERE for tickets to Game One

CLICK HERE for Friday’s full box score

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