Berkeley Prep beats Clay in Top 25 Florida high school baseball showdown

Buccaneers' senior right-handed pitcher and Ole Miss signee JT Quinn was electric on the mound

TAMPA, Fla.- In a battle between two Top 25 teams, Berkeley Prep used a five-run third inning to beat Clay 6-2 on Thursday at Carlson-Cone Field.

Berkeley Prep came into the game ranked No. 4 in the state, and Clay came in ranked No. 17. 

The scoring started early for the visiting Blue Devils as Alabama commit Max Williams brought home the game’s first run on a single to left-center field for a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third inning, the Blue Devils got their second run of the night as Logan Wilson singled in Williams to make it 2-0.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Buccaneers got on the board courtesy of a two-run home run by junior shortstop Cade Kurland, who is a Florida commit. Later in the inning, the Buccaneers took their first lead of the game as junior first baseman James Hankerson drove in a run on a bases loaded walk. Junior Wyatt Ewankowski followed with a two-run double to push Berkeley Prep's lead to 5-2.

Buccaneers' senior right-handed pitcher and Ole Miss signee JT Quinn was electric on the mound, allowing just four hits and striking out eight in five sharp innings.

The Blue Devils sent out senior right-hander and North Florida commit Brandon Adams, who lasted just 2 1/3 innings. He allowed 5 runs (1 earned), 3 hits, 4 walks and struck out three.

Junior reliever Elijah Roberts kept the Blue Devils in the game, striking out five of the first seven batters he faced. He finished with eight strikeouts in three innings of relief.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Buccaneers added a key insurance run as senior Anthony Castillo laid down a sacrifice bunt to make it a 6-2 game.

Freshman left-handed pitcher Rivers Kurland came on to record a five-out save for the Buccaneers (10-0).

The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Blue Devils.

Clay next game: Fri, 3/18 at Tampa Catholic

Berkeley Prep next game: Fri, 3/18 at Clearwater Central Catholic

Box Score       1 2 3 4 5 6 7  Total

Clay                1 0 1 0 0 0 0    2

Berkeley Prep 0 0 5 0 0 1 X   6