The East Lake Eagles moved to 9-3 on the season behind the stellar performance of 2020 RHP Cooper Nelson (East Lake HS, FL) who went the distance, throwing a complete game shutout in their 2-0 victory. The uncommitted sophomore was in control throughout the entire game as he attacked the zone and pitched with confidence, shutting down the Palm Harbor University Hurricanes lineup inning after inning.

Nelson featured a fastball that mostly sat 86-89 mph with plenty of movement, touching 90 early on in the first couple innings before settling in at 86-88, running it up to 89 when he needed it on a strikeout.  He also mixed in a tight slider at 75-77 mph which he threw at any part in the count along with an 80-82 mph change up with some sink. Throwing out of the ¾ slot, he creates deception in his delivery and a tough angle on right handed hitters which produced numerous weak ground ball outs. Nelson finished with five strikeouts, two hits allowed, two hit batters, and one walk.

2019 LHP Mitch Farris (Palm Harbor University, FL) would take the hard luck loss, but was just as impressive on the other side as he didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning. The uncommitted junior mostly sat 83-85 mph, touching 86 along with a 77-78 mph changeup and 73-75 mph curveball. Farris finished with five strikeouts, two runs allowed on four hits, and two walks.

Still scoreless heading to the top of the sixth, 2019 OF Wilbert Javier-Vargas (East Lake HS, FL) stepped to the plate with one out and a runner on second and laced a ball into the left-center field gap for a triple, giving them a 1-0 lead. 2019 IF Josh Pigozza (East Lake HS, FL) followed that up as he chopped a ball over the third basemen for an RBI single to left, extending their lead to 2-0. That would be all Cooper Nelson would need as the Hurricanes went down in order in the sixth and seventh, securing the 2-0 victory.

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Cooper Nelson, RHP, East Lake HS (2020)

Mitch Farris, LHP, Palm Harbor University (2019)

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