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Richie Hittel's performance on the mound and Danny Lotz's home run lift Ridgewood past Ocala Forest.
By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 8, 2002
OCALA -- Ridgewood got into trouble last week for using one pitcher for more innings than the state allows. In Tuesday night's region final, it was a different senior on the mound that the Rams couldn't get enough of. Right-hander Richie Hittel gave up three runs in the first inning, then shut out No. 6 Ocala Forest the rest of the way, and the Rams rallied around him for a 4-3 victory that sends Ridgewood to the state tournament in Tampa for the first time in school history.
"It feels great. Nothing could be better -- we're going to the final four at Legends Field," said Hittel, who got himself out of a two-on, one-out jam in the final inning.
The game-winning run came in the sixth, when junior first baseman Danny Lotz, facing a 2-2 count with two outs, sent a fly ball to deep rightfield. Forest's rightfielder got his glove on the ball but lost it as he hit the low fence, giving the Rams a 4-3 lead on Lotz's third home run of the year.
"I knew it was a short porch," Lotz said of the 290-foot fence down the rightfield line. "You just have to hang in there. You've got nothing to lose. I don't care if it bounced off his head, it went over."
Regarded as a small-ball team all season, Ridgewood saw five of its six hits go for extra bases, including three doubles in the fourth before Lotz brought in the game-tying run. Forest starter Michael Musgrave (8-2) had pitched three perfect innings before Hittel lined a double to rightfield, and Monte Werner and John Servidio followed suit with RBI doubles. Facing a full count, Lotz hit a chopper up the middle to tie the game.
As for the home run, coach Larry Beets had a premonition his No. 5 hitter might be able to take advantage of Forest Field's short dimensions in right.
"We talked on the way up, we had these little two-way radios, and I said maybe they'll name a candy bar after Lotz if he hits a 240-foot home run to rightfield," said Beets, whose team matched a school mark with its 26th victory. "The kids believed in themselves."
Beets saved his biggest praise for Hittel, who allowed the first six batters to reach base -- on two walks, two hits, an error and a fielder's choice -- then a total of six baserunners the rest of the way.
"What composure," Beets said. 'This was his. It was his for 10 innings, because that's all we could thrown him ... I checked it. He's been a bulldog. Now we get to go to Legends Field and play instead of sitting up in the bleachers."
When the Rams open play in the state final four next week, they'll be able to use senior Ronny Lowe, who had to sit out Tuesday's game as a penalty for pitching 15 innings last week, one more than the state limit.