Three area teams will be trying to earn spots in the state tournament in this weekend's sectionals.
By STEVE LEE
Published July 17, 2003
DADE CITY - Two Dade City baseball teams and a Land O'Lakes softball squad won district championships, and the coaches say their All-Star teams are not done winning.
Dade City's Senior and Junior baseball teams won District 4 titles, and along with the District 13 champion Land O'Lakes' Junior softball team, begin quests for Section IV crowns and state playoff berths this weekend at East Bay.
The Junior baseball team plays first, with Dade City facing Ocoee on Friday at 4 p.m. The Land O'Lakes Juniors face Lake City at 12:45 p.m. Saturday, and Dade City's Seniors play Windermere at 1 p.m.
Land O'Lakes has had a two-week layoff, but manager Steve Goldsborough is confident in his team's chances in a best-of-three series against Lake City, the District 4 winner.
Although Land O'Lakes has not played since the District 13 championship game, a 10-2 win over Bloomingdale on July 6, Goldsborough said, "The girls are pretty loose. They're having fun."
Christy Ambler will be Land O'Lakes' starting pitcher in the opener, and Ashley Goldsborough, the manager's daughter, is scheduled to pitch the second game Sunday at 3:45 p.m.
Dade City Senior baseball manager Dale Maggard will choose between Michael Onyskin and Jimmy Hancock to start Saturday's opener. Dade City was district runner-up last season, and Maggard thinks his team is a state contender this season.
While the Dade City Senior baseball and Land O'Lakes Junior softball teams went through the winner's bracket to win their district titles, the Dade City Junior baseball team had the toughest road. That squad came out of the loser's bracket and had to beat Zephyrhills twice to win the district.
Dade City beat Zephyrhills 13-2 in five innings on Friday before winning Saturday's championship game 6-3.
"If you get good pitching and good defense, you've got a chance against anybody," Dade City manager Lou Giella said.
Dustin Brown pitched a four-hitter in Friday's win and Jeff Parker allowed three hits Saturday.
Giella has plenty of options on the mound in Brown, Parker and left-hander Gerard Mathis.
"We've got three excellent pitchers, and a lot of teams can't say that," Giella said.
Jake Wagenrodt and Justin Johnson scored for Zephyrhills in the 13-2 loss. Wagenrodt doubled and scored on Jeremy Johnson's single, and Justin Johnson came home on Ryan Connell's single.
Dade City's Julian Juarez and Stephen Roe each scored three times. Roe went 3-for-3 and Juarez had two hits. Mathis contributed three hits and scored twice.
Phillip Robichaud hit a home run for Zephyrhills, and Andrew Pipes and Evan Chiovitti scored on walks in Saturday's loss to Dade City.
Dade City was 5-1 in the district tournament, with Roe sparking the offense. He hit .632 and scored nine runs.
Juarez averaged .526 and scored eight times, and Mathis hit .333 with a team-leading 10 runs.
