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Preps
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 27, 2003
TAMPA -- When David Gandy woke up Wednesday morning, he didn't want to get out of bed. A 101-degree temperature coarsed through his body, and he just felt sick.
But he was slotted to pitch that night and, after all, this was a chance to throw in the Saladino Tournament quarterfinals against a Jesuit team Plant hadn't faced in five years.
It was going to take a lot more than a little extra mercury in some thermometer to keep Gandy off the mound.
Gandy was indeed sick, though not the kind that forced him to take medicine between innings. He was the kind of sick that a person is when he shuts out one of the strongest teams in the county, scattering five hits and striking out five in a 5-0 Panther victory.
Plant (13-2) advanced to tonight's semifinal against Middleton, 5 p.m. at the University of Tampa.
On the surface it appeared as though Gandy committed the cardinal pitching sin, as he allowed either the leadoff or second batter in each of the first six innings to reach base. Plant coach Bo Puckett, however, said that isn't something he worries about when the senior left-hander is on the mound.
"He's just as strong with men on base as he is when there's no one on," Puckett said. "That's one of the reasons I felt he matched up so well with Jesuit."
Gandy proved Puckett right, loading the bases in the second inning, then never allowing a runner past second base. He retired the last seven batters he faced.
"It just feels so good to win this game," Gandy (3-1) said. "We haven't played Jesuit in five years and we probably won't play them for another five years. This gives us bragging rights until then."
Plant was led offensively by Andrew Kuykendall, who walked three times, scored once and drove in two with a long double in the sixth inning.