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Hernando Christian Academy's players were feeling down after a dispiriting loss to Central's junior varsity earlier this season. Then, coach Mike Ellison picked them up.
"Guys, don't feel bad about these 3A and 4A games we're playing (against JV squads)," Ellison told his players. "Because of them, they're giving us a chance to win our district or be runner-up in district and go to the playoffs in our first year."
HCA made the most of its chance.
Battle-tested after sweeping Nature Coast Tech, splitting with Springstead and Hernando and losing twice to Citrus and Central, HCA won five of six in district, clinching the top seed for the Class A, District 5 Tournament with a 5-4 win over Ocala St. John Lutheran on April 20.
Because there are only three teams in the district and the top two advance to the playoffs, HCA sewed up a postseason berth before the district tourney even begins.
"I'm tickled to death to be in this position," Ellison said.
HCA (12-9, 5-1 district) put itself in that spot by defeating a St. John Lutheran squad that beat it 6-2 earlier in the season.
Zack Bowe homered and picked up the win despite five errors behind him. He struck out five and allowed one earned run on five hits in 52/3 innings.
Robby Fleischer doubled, and bottom-of-the-order hitters Corey Drummond, Andrew Townsend and Nate Dahmer combined for three hits and two runs batted in.
HCA broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the sixth. Drummond singled, moved to second on a passed ball and advanced to third on a wild throw to second. Running on contact, Drummond scored the winning run after Townsend hit back to the pitcher, who bobbled the ball.
HCA will play the Cedar Key-St. John Lutheran winner in the district championship game on May 6. Regardless of the outcome, the Lions will play a regional quarterfinal on May 11.
LEOPARDS LURKING: Hernando enters the Class 3A, District 6 tourney as the No. 3 seed, but coach Tim Sims said he thinks the Leopards could sneak up on a few teams.
Hernando (10-12, 4-4) plays No. 2 South Sumter (6-2 district) in a semifinal on Wednesday, while top-seeded and host Pasco (8-0) awaits the outcome of Tuesday's play-in game between No. 4 Nature Coast Tech (1-7) and No. 5 Wildwood (1-7).
South Sumter defeated Hernando 3-2 and 6-4 earlier in the season but did not score an earned run in either game.
"We've still got a bad taste from the first two South Sumter games where we gave it to them," Sims said. "We didn't make them earn it."
Hernando led 3-1 in the most recent meeting between the teams before allowing five unearned runs in one inning. If the Leopards can eliminate their bad innings, there's no telling how far they can go.
"The senior leadership has been excellent," Sims said. "We're getting an effort, we're getting the most out of their ability, and I wouldn't be surprised (if we beat) whoever we play down the stretch. We're definitely going to get effort from the kids."
HEATING UP: Nature Coast's Mike Edwards batted .480 over the past 10 games to raise his average to .310.
Better pitch selection and hard work in practice helped Edwards improve upon his .050 mark earlier in the season, coach Dan Garofano said.
A pair of freshmen also have been coming on for the Sharks. Mike Dudek is batting .300, and pitcher Brian Daniels allowed two earned runs in 10 innings during losses to Mitchell and Lecanto.
TWICE AS NICE: Nature Coast set a program record with four doubles (Kyle Kuzinar, Dudek, Edwards and Vic Quinones) in a 6-4 loss to Lecanto on Monday.