The Tribune

By JONATHAN BURROWS

Tribune Sports Reporter

jburrows@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Champs 14U team showed its resilience when it mattered most, rallying from a two-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge 3-0 Venezuela 14U 14-13 on Monday at the Andre Rodgers Stadium, heading into the semifinals of the PONY 14U Caribbean and Latin America Baseball Championships.

In a game that featured momentum swings, defensive miscues and late-inning drama, The Bahamas improved to 3-1 in round-robin play.

The victory did not come easily.

Bahamas appeared in control early before defensive lapses allowed Venezuela to climb back into the contest. Venezuela eventually erased the deficit and took a 13-11 lead in the top of the seventh inning, putting the hosts on the brink of defeat.

Instead, Bahamas delivered one final response.

Xavier Petit reached on an error to start the decisive rally and Eldon Bullard Jr. followed with a walk. Logan Rolle then ripped a double to left field, driving in two runs and tying the score at 13-13.

The Bahamians continued to pressure Venezuela’s pitching staff as Kamdynn Miller and Isaac Richardson drew walks to load the bases. With two outs and the winning run standing at third base, Travonte Saunders worked a full-count walk that forced home Rolle with the winning run.

The walk-off victory capped a remarkable offensive effort for Bahamas, which collected 13 hits and overcame seven defensive errors.

Manager Donovan Cox said the key was simply continuing to fight despite the mistakes.

“The mindset was keep fighting man,” Cox said. “We got flat-footed in the middle of the game. Started to get notched on a lot of days but we picked it up on the offensive side. We made a few errors defensively, but our bats came alive and helped us win the game.”

Logan Rolle led the offensive charge, finishing 4-for-5 with four runs scored and four RBIs. His game-tying double in the seventh inning set the stage for the dramatic finish. He also finished with two home runs. 

The St. Andrew’s International School student said a change in approach helped fuel his breakout performance after a slow start to the tournament. “It feels amazing,” Rolle said. “I started off the tournament slow. I came today with a new approach, moving up in the box and getting a hit.”

Rolle said his focus in the late innings was simple. “Just doing anything to help the team win,” he said.

Saunders delivered one of the biggest performances of the tournament for Bahamas, finishing with five RBIs, including the game-winning RBI on the bases-loaded walk.

Miller added two hits and two RBIs while Richardson went 2-for-3 with a run scored, an RBI and two walks. Bullard scored three runs and reached base three times, while Jaden Liberal contributed two hits.

Despite the offensive production, Bahamas was forced to withstand constant pressure after committing seven errors in the field.

Cox said the mistakes were largely the result of his players losing focus after building an early advantage.

“Just not being ready man,” he said. “When you’re up by a lot of runs sometimes the kids get flat-footed. They came back and they did the job.”

As the errors mounted and Venezuela surged back into contention, Cox said the message in the dugout remained simple.

“Basically just settle down the team,” he said. “The guys know that they can play. They know that they can make routine plays but that’s baseball sometimes. Sometimes the errors happen but you just got to be ready to make the next play.”

The victory completed a strong round-robin showing for Bahamas and secured a place in Tuesday’s semifinals.

Puerto Rico finished first in the standings at 4-0 and will face Aruba in the opening semifinal at 9 am, while Bahamas and Venezuela will meet again in the second semifinal at noon.

Rolle believes the formula for success in the playoffs is straightforward.

“Just hit and cut down on the errors,” he said. “Once we do that, no team can beat us.”

Cox echoed that confidence heading into the knockout round.

“The expectation is to win man,” he said. “We come to win. We come to protect the homeland and show up for the Bahamian people.”

After Monday’s dramatic comeback, the Bahamians will carry plenty of momentum into the playoffs.