NEW PORT RICHEY - Ridgewood came from behind to beat Tarpon Springs 11-10 in eight innings Friday night.
Against Rams starter Bryan Hesse, Tarpon Springs (9-5) managed an early run in the first inning but trailed 4-1 going into the fifth. Tarpon starter Donny Vasterling went three innings before being relieved by Zach Aldrich.
In the fifth, the Spongers scored eight, five with two outs that included a two-run home run over the leftfield wall by Mike Koulianos. Karl Midgette smacked a two-run single later in the inning. Entering the bottom of the sixth, Tarpon led 9-4, but Ridgewood quickly rebounded.
The Rams (8-6) bunted, stole bases and came up with timely hits to score four runs, then garnered the game's tying run in the seventh to even the score at 9. In the eighth, a sacrifice bunt turned into a base hit for Bobby Hartman. Hartman reached third, and during a two-out pickle came home before Bobby Shank was tagged out to give Tarpon the 10-9 lead.
Ridgewood responded with a leadoff walk for Eric Slotter and an ensuing base hit for Shannon Eva (3-1), who got the win in three innings. Closer Kyle Midgette, who closed out Tarpon's previous 5-2 win over the Rams, got two outs with runners in scoring position. In the next at-bat, J.J. Ward had a squeeze bunt with two outs that popped up and down as Slotter came home. The throw to first went awry and Eva came home to win it for the Rams.
"We had everybody where we wanted to have them," Tarpon coach Dan Gena said. "This is one we're going to have to lick our wounds to."
