PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – The Pasco-Hernando State College Bobcats are officially the kings of Florida junior college baseball once again. Over the weekend, the team fought through rain delays and extra innings to secure their second straight FCSAA Division II Region 8 State Championship, knocking off top-seeded Lake-Sumter State College in a gritty 3-1 victory.
The road to the trophy started with an offensive explosion on April 29. PHSC made quick work of St. Johns River State College, ending the game early with a 14-4 blowout under the 10-run rule.
Pitcher Derek Westfall dominated on the mound, striking out six in a complete five-inning effort, while the bats of Alex Rodriguez, Vance Celiberti, Sebastian Berrios, Mickey Greenberg, and Horatio Sanchez all combined for multi-hit games.
The semifinals, however, were a much tenser affair. Facing off against Palm Beach State College, the game turned into a marathon that stayed deadlocked at 11-11 through nine innings.
It wasn’t until the 11th inning that Bradon Durfee came through with a clutch walk-off single to punch the Bobcats’ ticket to the finals. Reliever Isaac Palacios was the unsung hero of the night, throwing over four innings of scoreless ball to keep the Bobcats alive.
The championship game on May 2 felt like a bit of déjà vu, featuring a rematch of last year’s finals against Lake-Sumter. PHSC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third, but Mother Nature forced a pause as severe weather suspended play.
When the teams returned to the field the following day, pitcher Hector Escobar took over. Escobar threw a complete-game gem to protect the lead, eventually sealing the 3-1 win and the state title.
The post-game awards ceremony was a sea of PHSC jerseys. Escobar was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Pitcher, while Vance Celiberti took home MVP honors.
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Several other Bobcats—Greenberg, Rodriguez, Durfee, Palacios, and Eduardo Morales—earned spots on the All-Tournament Team. Head Coach and Athletic Director Lyndon Coleman was also honored as the Region 8 Coach of the Year.
“This was the first year in four years that we did not win the Sun-Lakes Conference regular season championship, which was a little disappointing, but the team was able to bounce back and win the Region 8 championship, showing how tough these guys are,” Coleman said. “I couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments and the adversity they have overcome.”
College President Eric Hall, Ed.D., echoed that pride, noting that back-to-back titles are a testament to the “hard work, resilience and leadership” of the players and staff.
The Bobcats don’t have much time to celebrate, though. They are heading to Palatka for the NJCAA DII South District Championship from May 8-10, where they will face Lurleen B. Wallace Community College. With the state trophy in hand, PHSC is now laser-focused on defending their national title at the World Series.
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