On a rainy Wednesday night at Orel Hershiser Field in Orlando, Apopka baseball battled through slick conditions and extra innings but fell just short in a 3-2 walk-off loss to The First Academy Royals. 

Head coach Scott Garland praised his team’s composure in difficult conditions while pointing to missed offensive opportunities as the difference. 

“It’s tough to play in these conditions, but they didn’t let it bother them,” Garland said. “They took care of business in the field, but we just didn’t have enough offense tonight. We got guys in scoring position and couldn’t come up with that hit when we needed it.” 

The Blue Darters (13-9) wasted no time setting the tone. 

In the top of the first inning, third-hole batter Collin Van Fleet jumped on a pitch and nuked it deep over the left field fence for a solo home run, giving the Blue Darters an immediate lead. 

On the mound, Camron Pennock matched that energy. After the Royals’ leadoff batter reached on an infield hit, Pennock quickly picked him off at first base to erase the threat. Despite an error, Pennock settled in and struck out the next two batters to keep Apopka in front. 

The Blue Darters had chances to add on early. Nico Posluszny lined a single past shortstop in the second, but Apopka couldn’t bring him around. 

Pennock continued to battle through traffic in the bottom half, working around two walks by striking out the side. 

In the third, Pennock allowed a single and a pair of walks to load the bases with two outs. With pressure mounting, the Royals chopped a ball to third, where Jez Hamrick charged and made a strong throw across the diamond to preserve the 1-0 advantage. 

Hamrick led off the fourth with a double into right field and advanced to third on a groundout, but the Blue Darters couldn’t capitalize. 

Aiden Rieli came on in relief and delivered a clean fourth inning, but the Royals broke through in the fifth. A leadoff double and a wild pitch moved a runner into scoring position, and a sacrifice fly to center field brought him home to tie the game at 1-1. 

Apopka responded immediately. 

Van Fleet was hit by a pitch, and courtesy runner Chance Saunders stole second to get into scoring position. After Hamrick drew an intentional walk and Pennock executed a bunt to move both runners up, Saunders broke for home on a wild pitch and slid in safely, giving Apopka a 2-1 lead. 

Once again, however, the Blue Darters were unable to add insurance, leaving runners on base. 

In the sixth, after Rieli walked the first two batters, Tyler Spaid came on in relief, but a perfectly placed bunt loaded the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly tied the game at 2-2, though Apopka limited the damage by throwing out a runner attempting to advance and recording a strikeout to escape the inning. 

Both teams were held scoreless through seventh inning, but not without drama. 

In the bottom half, The First Academy threatened a walk-off after loading the bases. Anthony Raymond came in to pitch and delivered. A deep fly ball to right field looked like it could end the game, but JD Edge made the catch and fired a strike to the plate. Van Fleet handled the throw perfectly and applied the tag to cut down the winning run at home, preserving the tie and sending the Apopka dugout into celebration. 

Raymond coaxed another flyout to escape the inning and force extras. 

Apopka’s offense had one last chance in the eighth. Spaid worked a full count and reached on an errant throw, but the Blue Darters couldn’t bring him home, flying out to end the frame. 

In the bottom half, the Royals capitalized. 

A hit batter and a walk put immediate pressure on Apopka, and after multiple bunt attempts, The First Academy successfully laid one down the third base line to load the bases. With one out, a chopper to shortstop proved difficult to handle, and the runner came home to score the winning run, sealing the 3-2 victory. 

Garland highlighted the team’s defensive effort, particularly the game-saving play at the plate. 

“Defense was as solid as it’s been, and JD comes up with that big throw to the plate,” he said. “As usual, Collin is sound behind the plate and took care of business.” 

With the postseason approaching, Garland emphasized the urgency for his team moving forward. 

“We’ve got to win,” he said. “We’re sitting as an 8 seed in the region, and if there’s any upset and we don’t win the district, we’re going to get knocked out. So we’ve got to win. That’s the bottom line.” 

Apopka will close out its regular season at home Thursday against Olympia before turning its full attention to the district tournament.