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KRISTEN LEIGH PORTERThe team of Citrus High players wins once before it is eliminated with two losses.
The Inverness Senior Baseball All-Stars were out of the state tournament after a loss Sunday, but coach Jim Manos didn't want the players to feel like they struck out.
"You go to the Super Bowl, and you are one of the two best teams in the world," Manos said. "You lose, and then you lose that perspective that you're one of the two best.
"We were still one of the top eight Senior All-Star teams in the state." The All-Stars fell to Conroy 15-2 in six innings at the Windermere Little League complex in a game that ended with the clock fast approaching midnight. Saturday, Inverness beat Niceville 13-7 before losing to West Pasco 7-2.
Conroy finished first in pool play at 3-0. Manos said Inverness' defensive lapses were compounded by Conroy's good offense. The Orlando-area team scored six runs in the third to break open the game.
Despite the loss, Manos, a former catcher who played at Long Island University from 1968-72 said he was proud of the team.
For Inverness, Randy Hernandez went 1-for-2 with a single and run scored, and Nick Fray went 1-for-3 with a solo home run. Nick Van Gorder and Anthony Del Guidice went 1-for-3 with a single.
Although he's making no excuses, Manos said almost all of the teams in the tournament included players from several high schools. The Inverness team is all Citrus High students, and Manos said it is believed the last time an Inverness Senior team qualified for state was 1997.
He also gave credit to the squad for continuing to battle and have fun even after falling behind by such a large margin.
"Three or four weeks ago, they were sitting at home playing Nintendo," Manos said of the District 15 and Section 3 champs. "Not only did they have the opportunity to play games, but practice 4-5 times a week and hone their skills.
"It can only help these kids because they'll all be playing high school ball."