The Wandering Disciple

A baby Canada goose imitates its mama as it crosses the street at the Englewood Sport Complex. The Canada Goose, primarily found in Canada as its name implies, can be found throughout North America as it migrates during the seasons. As the weather turns colder, the geese can be seen in its iconic "V" formation, flying south for the winter. (Photo: May 6, 2017)

A baserunner for the SWFL Yard Dawgs rounds third and looks home during a tournament game at Englewood Sports Complex. The boys of summer are back as baseball has resumed though-out the Sunshine State. After being shuttered for months, games have resumed in the youth baseball travel circuit and the pros are back in camp preparing for their shortened 2020 season. (Photo: June 27, 2020)

Sky Academy Storm’s shortstop ranges into shallow left field to catch a fly ball during the season finale. The Storm completed their inaugural season with Wednesday’s game against Inspiration Academy. (Photo: May 1, 2019)

Two middle school baseball teams meet at home plate to congratulate each other on a hard fought game. No matter how hard a game is played, there is something special about the sportsmanship between these student athletes. (Photo: April 23, 2019)

An alligator catches some rays along the bank of a pond at the Englewood Sports Complex. The gators use the sunlight to help regulate their body temperature and aid in digestion. (Photo: April 23, 2019)

A hitter for the Sky Academy Storm delivers a base hit during a middle school baseball contest against Imagine School North Port. This was the second meeting between these two programs and just like the first one, this was tightly contested game which was a lot of fun to watch. (Photo: April 23, 2010)

A trio of Storm infielders keep a close eye on their friendly rival from Venice. Sky Academy has a campus in Venice and Englewood and it only makes sense that those campuses would engage in some friendly rivalries like the one that took place on Thursday night between both school's baseball teams. This was the second time they met and the series is split 1-1 on the year. (Photo: April 11, 2019)

The Sky Academy baseball team rallied late in the final inning and strung together three straight triples in the five run frame but it wasn’t enough as the Storm suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Inspiration Academy. (Photo: April 1, 2019)

In a historic moment, Sky Academy Englewood played their franchise first baseball game as the Sky Academy Storm hosted the St Stephens Eagles in the opening game of the middle school baseball season. The Storm went into the record books with a win, earning the first win in the history of the program in their first game.   (Photo: March 14, 2019)

Baseball fields across the country are where dreams of becoming a big league ball player begin.  It is here where the youth fall in love with the game and play their hearts out hoping to one day have a chance to play on the big fields of professional baseball.  (Photo: March 7, 2015)

Englewood, Florida: The Florida High Heat Black hosted the GCBA Black Sox in round one play of the 2017 SWFL Champions Cup at Englewood Sports Complex. An eight run second inning by the Black Sox proved too much to overcome as the High Heat fell 14-6. The Black Sox set the tempo for the game by reaching the scoreboard first in a big way by pushing across eight runs in the second inning. The High Heat tried to battle back but each time they would score, so would the Black Sox. In the end it was the High Heat falling 14-6, eliminating them from the tournament. Click on the photo above view the High Heat Black/Black Sox photo gallery .

Englewood, Florida: After losing the first game of pool play, the Florida High Heat Black were back out on the fields at Englewood Sports Complex for the second of two pool games. The High Heat lost a hard fought game to a tough Freeze Baseball team, losing 7-6. The Freeze jumped out to an early lead by scoring a pair of runs in the opening frame. Following a run by High Heat in the third, the Freeze added four more in the bottom of the third to increase their lead to 6-1. At that point, the High Heat battled back to tie the game following a one run fourth and a four run fifth. However the Freeze walked off following a home run in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-6 win. Click on the photo above to view my High Heat Black/Freeze photo gallery .

Englewood, Florida: Key Agency game up a bunch of runs in the opening inning creating a deficit they could not recover from as they fell to Lemon Bay Funeral Home 12-6 on Thursday night at Englewood Sports Complex. In the first inning, Lemon Bay sent fourteen hitters to the plate and pushed across nine runs in the inning. Tanner Martin, Luke Tannehill, Nash Dowd, Devin Clifford, Owen Tannehill, TJ Williams and Zeke Moranda all collected RBI’s in the inning to give them a 9-0 lead. Key Agency got on the board in the second inning. CJ Knicely drew a walk followed by a double by Troy Reames. Kniceley scored on a ground out by Aiden Bell and Reames came home on a passed ball to make it 9-2. Key Agency scored again in the third. Cody Mayes reached on a fielder’s choice and later scored on a ground ball by Knicely to make it 9-3. Lemon Bay struck for three more runs in the sixth inning. Moranda singled to lead off the inning. He moved to third on a double by Cooper Benedict....

Englewood, Florida: What has been an exciting battle so far this season, the top teams in Englewood Little League locked horns for another exciting game of baseball on Thursday night at Englewood Sports Complex. The usual dominating pitching staff of Key Agency could not contain the powerful bat of Labadie slugger Trey Rutan who went deep twice to lead Labadie to a 7-4 win. Labadie took the lead in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Charlie Dillmore drew a walk to get things going. He would later score on Rutan’s first homer of the night, a two run shot to right to put them ahead 2-0. Key Agency cut the lead in half by scoring in the bottom of the first. Jake Patrick led off the inning with a walk. He moved to second on a passed ball and later to third on a ground out by Cody Mayes. Jake Patrick then scored on a passed ball to make it 2-1. Labadie answered by scoring three more runs in the third inning. Dillmore reached on error followed by Wyatt Seckel getting hit by a p...

Englewood, Florida: Every time Key Agency and Lemon Bay Funeral Home meet up for major division action at Englewood Little League, fans are treated to an exciting game between two really good teams.  Tonight’s game would be no different as Lemon Bay struck early and held off a late rally by Key Agency to win 8-6. Lemon Bay took a three run lead in the first inning.  An RBI single by Austin Werden and two more runs on an error gave Lemon Bay a 3-0 lead. Lemon Bay scored again in the second.  Devin Clifford reached on an error to lead off the inning. He later scored on a ground ball by Matthew Howard to increase the lead to 4-0. Key Agency got on the board in the second.  MJ Patrick doubled to lead off the inning.  Troy Reames and Aiden Bell drew walks to load the bases.  The first run of the inning came off a ground ball by Gabe Todaro to score MJ Patrick.  Then Donte Taylor delivered an RBI single to score Reames and cut the lead in half...

Englewood, Florida: The red-hot offense of the league leading Key Agency lit up the diamond on Saturday night as they defeated Kimberlin Roofing 13-4 at Englewood Sport Complex. Key Agency got things going by scoring five runs in the first inning. They loaded the bases following a walk by Jake Patrick, a single by Nick George and a walk to Troy Reames.  Jake Patrick and George would then score on a single by MJ Patrick. Reames then scored and MJ Patrick moved into scoring position on an error.  Donte Taylor then drew a walk to put runners at first and second.  After back to back strikeouts, Sam Sheidy struck a two-out single to right, scoring MJ Patrick and Taylor to give them a commanding 5-0 lead. Kimberlin threatening in the bottom of the first by loading the bases but Key Agency got out number three to end the threat.  They carried the momentum into the second ining where they scored their first run of the night.  Matthew Schick drew a walk and then sc...

Englewood, Florida: Little League baseball fans were treated to an exciting game on Tuesday night as the league leading Key Agency squared off agains Lemon Bay Funeral Home is a close game. After exchanging leads three times, it was Key Agency that would hold for a 6-4 win. Key Agency took the lead in the first inning. Jake Patrick led off the inning with a double to center. He then scored on an RBI double by Nick George to give Key Agency a 1-0 lead. Lemon Bay Funeral Home took advantage of some defensive miscues by Key Agency in the third to grab the lead. Zeke Moranda delivered a hard hit ball to first that was misplayed and thrown around, allowing Tanner Martin and Matthew Howard to score to make it 2-1. Key Agency bounced back to regain the lead in the bottom of the third. Nick George singled followed by a double by Cody Mayes to give them two runners in scoring positon. Both baserunners scored on a single by MJ Patrick to give them a 3-2 lead. Lemon Bay Funeral H...

Englewood, Florida: The Key Agency offense was red hot on Saturday night as they cruised to a 17-6 win over Kimberlin Roofing at Englewood Sports Complex. Key Agency got things going right at first pitch, scoring 4 runs in the first inning of play. A base loaded walk to MJ Patrick, a two run double by Donte Taylor and an RBI by Timmy DiStefeno gave Key Agency an early 4-0 lead. Kimberlin scored in the bottom of the first on a ground ball by Carson Moore that drove home Andrew Olgilvie to make it 4-1. Key Agency bounced back with three more runs in the second. An RBI double by Cody Mayes followed by a two run homer by MJ Patrick extended the lead to 7-1. Key Agency did not stop there, striking for eight more runs in the third inning. Bases loaded walks to Jake Patrick and Troy Reames drove in runs. Then Mayes collected another RBI following a single to left. A pair of bases loaded walks to Taylor and Gabe Todaro plated a pair of runs. Then two more came on an error to en...

Englewood, Florida:  In a battle of league powerhouses, first place Key Agency used a big inning to help roll over second place Labadie Construction 12-2 on Thursday night at Englewood Sports Complex. Key Agency scored a pair of runs in the opening inning to take an early lead.  Cody Mayes broke the scoreless tie with an RBI single to score Jake Patrick.  A little later in the inning Troy Reames singled home Nick George to give Key Agency a 2-0 lead. Key Agency doubled their lead in the third.  Donte Taylor belted an RBI triple to center to post the first run of the inning.  Then Taylor later scored on a double steal to make it 4-0. Labadie scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead in half 4-2. Key Agency added another run in the fifth on an inside-the-park homer by Reames to increase the lead to 5-2. Then game the big seven run inning for Key Agency.  Two RBI singles by Jake Patrick, a two-run homer by George,...

Englewood, Florida:   Englewood Sports park was buzzing with Saturday night Little League Baseball as Key Agency faced off against Kimberlin Roofing.  Key Agency was able to rebound from an early deficit to earn a dominating 13-5 win. Kimberlin jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning.  A fly ball to center was misplayed and allowed Aiden McNanna to score the first run of the night.  Two more runs came on an ground ball by Tyler Dunning to make it 3-0. The lead held until the top of the third.  Back to back walks to Matthew Neumeyer and Jake Patrick gave Key Agency two runners on the.  Troy Reams would reach on an error, allowing Neumeyer to score and pull to within a pair.  But the runners would not remain there long as MJ Patrick took an offering deep to left center, his first homer of the season that put Key Agency in front 4-3 Kimberlin battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the third.  Dunning reached on an error, Ja...