The 2017 edition of the South Dade High School baseball team has a totally new look from last year’s squad. The 2016 edition of the team graduated twelve seniors, ten of which went on to play at the college level this year. Not only did the team have to completely retool, but legendary Head Coach Fred Burnside retired from coaching at the beginning of the school year. Burnside, who coached for 47 years, ended his career with 506 wins and the 2014 Class 8A State Championship with South Dade. During his career, Burnside sent hundreds of players to college as well as pro ball, including the new coach at South Dade, Rene Ruiz. Ruiz, is a 2002 graduate of Miami Southridge High School, where Burnside was coaching at the time. He went on to play college baseball at Florida Gulf Coast and Manhattan College. Ruiz went on to play in the minor leagues, but when he was done playing, he returned to Manhattan College in 2010 as the Recruiting Coordinator and Assistant Coach. Seeking warmer weather and to be closer to his family Coach Ruiz returned to South Florida and joined the Buccaneer baseball staff in 2016.
The Buccaneers opened the 2017 season with not one pitcher that had any varsity experience, a product of losing 12 seniors. The team looked solid in the infield with returning infielders, Senior Willy Escala/SS, a three year starter and University of Miami commit, Senior Ricardo Sobalvarro/1B, a two year starter and a Barry University Commit and Junior Kevin Cardentey/2B. A shoulder injury has limited Cardentey to DH duties and he is the teams leading hitter with a .391 batting average and 22 runs scored. The surprise player of this year’s team is senior Pitcher/Outfielder, Yamil Chavarria. Chavarria, who came into this season with limited pitching experience, has been the ace of the staff with a 4-2 record, 1.27 ERA and 35 strike outs in 33 innings pitched. He is also batting .349 with 10 RBI. Additionally, Escala is having another solid season at the plate with a .328 average, 24 runs scored and 15 stolen bases. Sobalvarro is currently batting .309 with 2 home runs and 23 RBI. Sobalvarro, who normally plays first base, has filled in admirably for the injured Cardentey at second base.
Currently the team’s record stands at 10-10 after the recent Spring break trip to Sanford, Florida, where the Bucs played in the Florida League High School Invitational. The team went 1-3 in the tournament, but all of South Dade’s players received quality playing time that could prove invaluable in years to come. The team was lead in Invitational by Luis Ramos (5-8, 4 SB), Hasani Clarit (4-11), Jonathan Brutti (5.2 IP, 0R, 3K) and David Garcia (3-5, Grand Slam).
The team will celebrate this year’s Seniors with a Senior Night game on Tuesday, April 18th against Miami High School, which will be the last home game of the regular season. The last regular season game is Thursday, April 20th at Columbus High School. The Bucs have yet to qualify for the District 16-9A tournament, but with a 5-7 district record, they have a very good chance of making it to the postseason.
Whether the Bucs make the district tournament or not, Head Coach Rene Ruiz has done a phenomenal job coaching up this young squad. He has gained some much needed experience in coaching at the high school level, and a little taste of success could work wonders for this young squad moving forward in upcoming years. The Buccaneer Baseball Nation is definitely looking forward to their bright future.
