The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

At a baseball powerhouse in Gainesville, Florida, a pair of Bahamian players are making key contributions to their team's run at a state championship playoff spot as the regular season draws to a close.

Yokito Pinder and Justin Sweeting, both freshmen at Riverside Military Academy, have made an immediate impact on the team's varsity programme, despite being one of only three ninth graders on the team.

In their latest outing against Prince Avenue Christian, Pinder scored the winning run to put the Eagles in the running for a state championship playoff spot and pushed them to fourth in the division.

With the help of the Bahamian duo, the Eagles are just two wins away from a berth in the Class A state playoffs after winning just four games in the 2010-11 campaign.

Pinder was brought in as a pinch runner in the bottom of the seventh inning and stole home to clinch a 4-3 win for his side.

"I don't really know what to say," Pinder said in an interview with the Gainesville Times. "I just tried to run my hardest and stay low. I was just trying to get that victory for my team."

With the win, the Eagles improved to 12-9 and 10-6 Region 8-A. They secured a key win in their division and region and kept ahead of Athens Academy who stand at 13-9 and 9-7 in the region.

The next matchup for the Eagles is slated for today on the road against Tallulah Falls as they look to secure the playoff spot.

Pinder is a reserve catcher while Sweeting plays both the infield and outfield and also doubles as hoops star on the varsity basketball team.

Fellow Bahamian Brenden Taylor is also a budding star on both the prep baseball and basketball teams.

Riverside Military Academy is a private, college preparatory, boarding and day school for boys in grades seven through 12. It has an enrolment of approximately 400 students and its corps of cadets come from over 25 states and 15 countries.