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Dunedin misses on its big chance

Uncharacteristic mistake costs Falcons in pivotal inning.

By MIKE READLING, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 16, 2002

TAMPA -- Thirty-two wins. Two hundred four innings. Zero losses and a No. 2 national ranking. Dunedin came into Legends Field toting some mighty impressive numbers.

Ridgewood, on the other hand, hadn't even won all of its past five games.

It didn't matter. All those big Dunedin numbers were offset by a couple of smaller ones owned by Ridgewood: One and nine.

One inning and nine Ridgewood batters. That was all it took to turn a season on the brink of greatness into just another really good Falcon campaign.

The defining blow to Dunedin's previously spotless record came in the fifth inning of its Class 4A state semifinal game against Ridgewood, which entered the tournament with seven losses and no national recognition.

"That was a very good team out there," Dunedin coach Tom Hilbert said. "They took advantage of their opportunities."

Those opportunities began when Josh Rose came up to bat with his Rams trailing 1-0 and led off the fifth with a single. He advanced when Jon Koenigsfeld sacrificed back to Dunedin pitcher Ryan Harvey.

In a very un-Dunedin-like move Harvey picked up the ball and threw it past first base, allowing Ridgewood runners at second and third with no out. The error was Dunedin's first in its five postseason games.

"I think he just rushed and tried to throw it too hard," Hilbert said.

Harvey settled down to strike out pinch hitter Corey Opalka, but Josh Le'Roy singled in both runners, handing Ridgewood the lead at 2-1.

Another single by Richie Hittel and a walk to Monte Werner to load the bases brought out pitching coach Howard Chittum to chat with Harvey, who came into the game with a 10-0 record.

"I didn't go to the mound, I sent my pitching coach and he said Ryan was composed at the time," Hilbert said. "It was very draining, very emotional."

Harvey struck out the next batter, John Servidio, but walked in Le'Roy to provide the final margin. By that time the damage had been done.

Ridgewood was was on its way to its first state baseball final and Dunedin became the first undefeated team to lose in the state tournament since 1983.

"It hasn't sunk in yet," Le'Roy said. "We just keep saying to ourselves that we beat Dunedin."

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