A pitchers' duel does not materialize but the Ravens get enough offense to win.
By BRANDON WRIGHT
Published May 12, 2004
TAMPA - Alonso's Mike Harley went the distance, as the visiting Ravens beat King 7-4 to advance to Friday's region semifinal.
The anticipated pitcher's duel between Harley (8-1) and King's Stephen Locke (7-2) never materialized. Harley and Locke struggled early, each giving up four runs in the first two innings.
"I think both pitchers were a little overpumped and ended up throwing a lot of balls over the white (of the plate)," Alonso coach Landy Faedo said. "But after the fourth Mike settled down."
The fourth inning was pivotal. Alonso's David DelGuercio scored when Jeff Bromley's throw on the back end of a potential inning-ending double play skipped in the dirt and got away from first baseman Ralph Quintana.
Ryan Breheney and Chris Whelan then delivered two-out, run-scoring singles that gave Alonso (22-4) a 7-4 lead.
"Once we got the lead again in the fourth, I knew I had to shut them down," Harley said.
King (17-8) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but Harley - with a little help from shortstop Gus Fernandez - wiggled out of the jam.
Harley struck out Aaron Neubert, then Marek Carter lined a ball into the third-base hole. Fernandez dove to his right, and the runner on third momentarily froze to see if the ball would be caught in the air.
But Fernandez fielded the one-hopper and fired home for the force out. Harley then struck out Zach Livingston to end the threat.
Harley didn't surrender another hit the rest of the way.
"That inning got us the momentum, and from there on out I got stronger and stronger," Harley said. "Fernandez made a heck of a play that saved us."
