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Baseball roundup

Bolles wins defensive struggle

TAMPA -- Jacksonville Bolles thwarted a Plantation American Heritage sixth-inning rally with a double play then added a run for a 2-1 victory.

Bulldogs third baseman Winton Mays went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, driving in leftfielder Chris Petrie in the fourth and pinch-runner Bryan Hassel in the sixth. Back-to-back bunts brought in Patriots leftfielder Kenny Lassen and tied the game in the sixth. With runners on first and second, Josh Weekes hit a grounder to Bulldogs shortstop Spence Nagy. Nagy threw to second baseman Michael Scott who threw to first baseman Tyler Rhoden for the first two outs. A fly ball to centerfield ended the Patriots' chance to take the lead.

A game-winning run by Bolles (29-4) frustrated the Patriots (31-3), who thought Hassel was tagged as he slid into home. Both teams got complete games from their top pitchers. Bolles' Jon Hollis (four strikeouts) and American Heritage's Stephen Clyne (seven strikeouts) each allowed six hits and one walk. The result was a 1-hour, 20-minute game that hinged on defense.

Bolles coach John Newman said he will use Rhoden at pitcher in today's 4 p.m. championship game.

-- EMILY NIPPS

Bishop Kenny explodes

TAMPA -- Even though Port St. Lucie Centennial took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth, coach James Parker wasn't comfortable.

"We knew (two runs) wasn't going to do it," Parker said. "We knew that."

Boy did he. Bishop Kenny, which came in with a .347 team average, started smacking the ball, scoring three runs in each of the next three innings in a 9-3 win. Parker said the backbreaker was in the sixth, when Kenny scored on a single, a walk, an error and a triple.

"Yeah, we finally started hitting it hard," Bishop Kenny coach Bob West said. "Early in the game we were hitting some popups and I told the team we had to start hitting it hard.

"Fortunately we did."

And fortunately for the Crusaders, starter Jeremy Papelbon's arm felt okay. Papelbon strained his forearm while stretching during a workout Saturday and didn't throw until warmups Wednesday. "It felt pretty good except for when I threw the inside fastball," Papelbon (14-0) said. "Then it got a little tight. Other than that, it was pretty good."

Damon Olinto and A.J. Johnson led the Crusaders at the plate, going 2-for-3 and 2-for-4, respectively, with a combined four RBIs.

Bishop Kenny (26-4) has made it to the state tournament four of the past six years, but never has won a title.

-- SCOTT PURKS

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