No. 1 Venice (Fla.) baseball closes regular season with win at CoolToday Park

NORTH PORT- With the final regular season game before districts starting next week, Rivals High School Baseball Top 25 Rankings’ No. 1 ranked Venice Indians took on the Sarasota Sailors at the Atlanta Braves’ CoolToday Park in Wellen Park.

The Indians closed out the regular season with a victory, but it didn’t come as easy as the previous meeting with the Sailors. Venice exploded for seven runs in the first inning en route to defeating Sarasota, 10-5, Friday night.

“We did some good things tonight,” Venice head coach Craig Faulkner said to Rivals after the game. “Wasn’t exactly the way we want to win. We could have probably 10-run ruled them, but we wanted to get Carter (Cox) out of there very quickly because we’re probably gonna see him again down the road somewhere, maybe in the district championship.

When it came to scoring runs, the Indians (24-1) did the bulk of their damage in the opening frame in the bottom of the first inning, piling up four hits along with seven runs. Up 7-0 and having ace Carter Cox on the mound, Faulkner ended up pulling the senior after just two innings of work and mixing up pitchers the rest of the way.

Doing so, however, allowed Sarasota (18-6) to slowly creep back into the game as the Sailors were able to come within 8-5 in the top of the sixth inning. The first meeting between the teams ended with Venice coming away with a 14-1 win, but this second time around looked a little too close for comfort.

LSU commitment Graham Houston had a strong night at the plate for Venice, notching four of the team’s 10 overall hits on the evening. Senior Kole Ayrault paced Sarasota with two hits, an RBI and a run scored.

About CoolToday Park

“Located in North Port, Florida, CoolToday Park is the Spring Training home of the Atlanta Braves, and opened in 2019, with the inaugural game being played on Sunday, March 24, 2019. CoolToday Park is the result of collaboration, cooperation and financial contributions from the State of Florida, Sarasota County, the City of North Port, the Atlanta Braves and Mattamy Homes, the developer of Wellen Park Florida. In addition to baseball, CoolToday Park hosts a multitude of special events at the facility throughout the year.”

More about Venice High School

Venice High School, located in Venice, Florida, is a prominent public school known for its strong academics, competitive athletics, and active extracurricular programs. Offering a variety of AP and honors courses, the school prepares students for higher education and future careers. Venice’s athletic teams are highly successful, frequently achieving state championships and fostering school pride. Emphasizing leadership, community service, and personal growth, the school ensures students are well-rounded and ready for future challenges.