By Ryan Butler
The season may not have ended the way the Bloomingdale High baseball team had hoped, but the Bulls still left its mark on Hillsborough County and the area record books in 2013.
Despite a 1-0 loss to Plant in the first round of the district tournament, Bloomingdale still impressed by playing in one of Florida baseball’s toughest districts. In addition to a winning record during the regular season, the Bulls captured another win in the prestigious Saladino tournament over spring break. The Bulls, 16-10 overall, defeated Jefferson in thrilling 3-2 victory in one of the season highlights.
Offensively, the Bulls were led by seniors Jamal Wilson and Justin Ambrosino. Both joined the team’s .400 club by posting batting averages of .430 and .412, respectively. They were also the leaders in hits and RBI’s for the team with Ambrosino knocking home 23 and Wilson scoring 17. They also combined for seven of the team’s 13 home runs with Wilson edging his class mate 4-3.
On the mound, Logan and Cody Crouse paced the Bulls, both posting ERAs below 2.00. Sophomore Logan Crouse led the team in ERA with a 1.15 mark during the season and also boasted a team-high seven wins in 11 appearances. Cody Crouse, a senior, lead the team in games started and innings pitched, posting his own sharp 1.43 ERA. The older Crouse put together one of his best efforts of the season against the Panthers in the district first-round game, but an early run was enough for the Panther’s 1-0 win.
Crouse was also strong in the Saladino tournament. In the annual historic event featuring every school in the County, the Bulls ran off 3 consecutive wins to open the tournament, outscoring opponents 21-3 in the process. They then won 5 more, ending the run by defeating host Brandon.
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