Growth has been the defining theme for the Wekiva Mustang baseball team this season, and while that does not always translate to wins, it did Thursday night. 

Wekiva (2-13) put on a show against Liberty (1-5), winning in a 12-0 route that snapped the Mustang’s 13-game losing streak after starting the season 1-0.  

Head coach Noah Piard said the game showcased the resilience he has seen from his group all year. 

“It was a good change of pace,” Piard said. “We’ve been struggling a little bit this season, but being able to come out here and put a good win together really uplifted the morale of our team, and it was well deserved.” 

Wekiva controlled the game from the start, combining timely hitting with dominant pitching in its most complete performances of the season. 

On the mound, Emil Flaquer set the tone early. He opened the game with back-to-back strikeouts and finished with six total, allowing just one hit while keeping Liberty off balance throughout his three-inning outing.  

Joan Morales closed the game with three strikeouts of his own, as Wekiva allowed just a single baserunner in the game. 

Brady Reinert sparked the offense in the first after he was hit by a pitch and then aggressively worked his way around the bases. Jaden Graham delivered with a single to left to bring him home and continued to apply pressure on the basepaths, eventually scoring to give Wekiva a 2-0 lead. 

That aggressiveness has been a staple for the Mustangs all season, particularly from Reinert, who leads the team with 10 runs scored and eight stolen bases. 

Wekiva added on in the second when Graham again created chaos, reaching base and advancing before Flaquer belted a double over the left fielder’s head to make it 3-0. 

Then came the breakout inning. 

In the third, the Mustangs erupted for nine runs, capitalizing on walks, hit batsmen and clutch hits to blow open the game. Luke Robinson delivered one of the biggest swings of the inning, ripping a two-run double down the third base line. Reinert added an RBI single, Flaquer drew a bases-loaded walk, and Caden Lopez followed with a two-run double to highlight the offensive surge. 

By the end of the inning, Wekiva had built a commanding 12-0 lead. 

Robinson finished 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and a walk, while Flaquer contributed both on the mound and at the plate, going 1-for-1 with a double, two walks, two RBIs and a run scored. 

Graham continued his standout season. The senior leads the team with a .562 batting average and a .611 on-base percentage, production that has boosted the offense after he returned from an early-season injury. 

“Jaden Graham, he’s a silent guy, but whenever he’s on the field for us, it’s huge,” Piard said. “He was a little bit injured in the beginning of the season, but since he’s come back, the morale has picked up, our defense has picked up, our offense has picked up. So he’s really been a huge piece to our team.” 

While the win over Liberty was one of Wekiva’s most complete games, Piard emphasized that the team’s identity has been built long before the final score reflected it. 

“It’s the resilience,” he said. “Each day, even though things may not have gone our way, we’ve come back out with the same positive attitude. Guys are still working hard, guys are still striving to get better. At this young level, that’s pretty much all we can ask.” 

That mindset has been especially important for a roster still developing in all aspects of the game. 

“The progression has been more of their character, more on the mental side,” Piard said. “The physical side is going to come. We have some young guys who are still learning about the game. But for us, being able to build good young men, that’s our overall goal.” 

Players like Flaquer and Reinert have helped set the tone. 

“Emil Flaquer, he’s been probably our anchor for this season,” Piard said. “Brady Reinert, the energy that he brings to our team every single day, we couldn’t ask more of him.” 

For Wekiva, the 12-0 win was a glimpse of what the team can be when everything clicks. As the season continues, Piard believes that continued growth and perseverance will eventually translate into more wins. 

“We understand that the results may not always go our way,” he said. “But as long as we persevere, we’re pretty sure that things are going to turn around for the better.”