Bishop Snyder baseball is charging into the FHSAA final eight with a powerful combination of elite pitching and explosive home runs. The Cardinals punched their ticket in style, sweeping a doubleheader against Bolles to win the Region 1-2A semifinal series on May 1.
It all started on the mound with senior ace Cody Boshell, a Tennessee signee who delivered a masterful performance in Game 2. Despite admitting he wasn't expecting his "electric stuff" after playing a full game earlier in the day, Boshell tossed a one-hit, five-inning shutout to secure a 10-0 victory. "I was staying within myself," Boshell said. "I knew I wasn't going to have electric stuff because we'd played a game before that." If this is how he pitches without his best, opponents should be worried when he's fully locked in.
The Cardinals' bats were just as scorching. Bishop Snyder has now crushed 29 home runs as a team this season, and the power surge shows no signs of slowing down. In Game 1, Tripp Hannah launched a three-run homer in the first inning to set the tone. Game 2 saw Ilias Mamea add a three-run blast in the second, while Cole Dennis—a Jacksonville University commit—went deep twice. Dennis has now homered six times in his last five games, tying him for second in Florida with 11 on the season. "I've never had a home run streak like this," Dennis said. "It's crazy, to be honest."
The opener wasn't without drama. Bishop Snyder jumped out to a 6-0 lead, but Bolles (19-9) clawed back, cutting the deficit to 7-5 in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Rylan Baker. The Bulldogs loaded the bases, but Lewis Turner escaped the jam with a little help from shortstop Hannah, who made a superb bare-handed play to snuff out the rally. The Cardinals held on for an 8-5 win.
Game 2 was all Bishop Snyder. Mamea drove in four runs, Boshell struck out six and faced the minimum, and both Bolles runners who reached base were quickly erased. The Cardinals (22-6) are now headed back to the FHSAA final eight for the second time in three years, riding a wave of momentum that has fans and players alike believing this could be their year.