By Mike Maerz
Director of Florida Operations/Area Scout

Thursday night, the district matchup featuring the visiting Jesuit Tigers and the home Robinson Knights had everything you wanted in this type of rivalry game. Both teams came in undefeated, and after a great start to the season, Jesuit HS was most recently ranked No. 4 in the PBR Florida Power 25 HS Team Rankings. Both teams went back and forth all night and even required extra innings to decide who would come away with the victory.

Starting for Jesuit was 2016 LHP Clayton Kwiatkowski who sat 86-88, touching 89 mph with his fastball on a downward tilt with life and mixed in a 68-71 mph curveball with depth along with a 76-78 mph changeup. The Florida State recruit would recover nicely after a shaky first inning as he dialed in and started using his off-speed pitches, most notably his curveball to run up his strikeout total to nine on the night and allowing three runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings.

2016 RHP Michael Tini of Robinson would also go 4 2/3 innings as he kept the strong Jesuit lineup off balance by forcing a good amount of fly ball outs. He scattered nine hits and allowed three runs.

For Robinson, 2017 OF Aaron Scott went 2-for-4 on the night, which included a double and two RBIs. He squared up the ball and made solid contact on both of his hits, which involved a hard line drive up the middle and the double into the left-center gap.

2016 1B Braxton Rupp went 2-for-2 with one RBI and 2016 IF/OF Hunter Tubbs was 1-for-4 with one RBI for Jesuit. They stepped up with some timely hitting to keep pace with Robinson as it continued to go back and forth late into the game. 2017 C Garrett Sheppard did a great job behind the plate, as he moved well, showed off an accurate arm with a 1.90-1.93 second pop time and blocked some tough pitches in the dirt. He would also drive in a run during one of his at-bats. 2016 MIF Steven Lugo would go 2-for-3 on the night with a run scored.

2017 RHP Jeff Hakanson would relieve Kwiatkowski and eventually earn the win as he only give up one hit with three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. In the top of the eighth, Jesuit got a clutch triple from team captain and Furman recruit 2016 MIF Adam Weekley, who  then scored after an errant throw went out of play. Hakanson came back out for the bottom of the eighth and shut the door on any Robinson comeback. Jesuit defeated Robinson 4-3 to remain undefeated on the season.