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North Port Today
By the People, for the People
No. 1 Venice (Fla.) Baseball Defeats Sarasota at CoolToday Park
Top-ranked Indians close regular season with 10-5 victory over area rival Sailors
Apr. 11, 2026 at 12:57pm
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A cubist interpretation of the intense rivalry and competitive spirit on display as two top Florida high school baseball teams battled it out at the Atlanta Braves' spring training facility.North Port TodayThe No. 1 ranked Venice (Fla.) High School baseball team defeated local rival Sarasota 10-5 in their final regular season game at CoolToday Park, the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves. Venice jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning but had to hold off a late Sarasota comeback attempt.
Why it matters
This game was an important tune-up for both teams before the start of the district playoffs next week. Venice, the top-ranked high school baseball team in the nation, was able to get the win but had to work harder than expected against a quality Sarasota squad, hinting at potential challenges the Indians may face in the postseason.
The details
Venice exploded for seven runs in the first inning, chasing Sarasota starter Carter Cox after just two innings of work. However, the Sailors slowly crept back into the game, eventually pulling within 8-5 in the sixth inning before Venice was able to close out the victory. LSU commit Graham Houston had a big night at the plate for Venice, recording four of the team's 10 hits.
- The game was played on Friday, April 11, 2026.
- It was the final regular season game for both teams before the start of the district playoffs next week.
The players
Craig Faulkner
The head coach of the Venice High School baseball team.
Graham Houston
A senior outfielder for Venice High School who has committed to play baseball at LSU.
Kole Ayrault
A senior for the Sarasota High School baseball team who had two hits, an RBI, and a run scored in the game.
Carter Cox
The starting pitcher for Sarasota High School who was chased after just two innings of work.
What they’re saying
“We did some good things tonight. 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.”
— Craig Faulkner, Venice Head Coach
What’s next
The district playoffs will begin next week, with Venice and Sarasota likely to meet again at some point during the postseason.
The takeaway
Despite the lopsided final score, this game showed that even the nation's top-ranked high school baseball team can be challenged, hinting at potential obstacles Venice may face as they look to make a deep playoff run.
