By FRANK PASTOR, Times Staff Writer
Published April 8, 2005
Who knew chicken wings had such motivational powers?
Gulf coach Shaun Wiemer told his players he would take them to Hooters and buy them 150 wings if they won three in a row, which they did at the season-opening Tom Varn tournament.
The Bucs earned a return trip to the restaurant Friday.
Victories over Zephyrhills, Lake Lehman (Pa.) and Springstead were part of a four-game winning streak that pulled Gulf (8-6) out of an 0-4 slide and set it squarely in the middle of a tight Class 4A, District 10 race.
At 2-4 with district games remaining against Hudson, Wesley Chapel, Tarpon Springs and Zephyrhills, the Bucs can position themselves for a possible No. 1 or 2 seed in the tournament, which they will host May 2-6.
"If we can win those last four, we'll be 6-4 and that would be good for first or second," Wiemer said. "Five-and-five might even get you second, because we're so close."
Gulf was 4-6 overall and 0-2 in district when it broke for spring break March 18. After a few days off the field, the team met and recommitted itself for the second half of the season.
"They're honoring that by the way they're playing and practicing," Wiemer said.
Kevin Fagan pitched a three-hitter and Gulf overcame shaky defense to edge Zephyrhills 4-3 on March 29. The confidence the Bucs gained from the win carried into a 13-3 victory over Lake Lehman two days later.
Gulf earned its (chicken) wings with a 5-1 win over Springstead on Friday. After Norberto Navarro's two-run double sparked an 11-5 victory over Ridgewood on Tuesday, the Bucs were two wins from a third trip to Hooters.
ALMOST BACK: Pasco pitcher/first baseman Kenneth Statham is eligible to return from a two-week suspension for profanity on Saturday.
The Florida High School Athletic Association-mandated suspension stemmed from something Statham said at the plate during a game against Palm Harbor University in the Dunedin Spring Break Tournament on March 24. His original four-week suspension was reduced to two.
"It was a kid who never got in any trouble," Pasco coach Ricky Giles said. "But he just opened his mouth at the wrong time, and that kind of got him."
Statham was one of Pasco's top pitchers before the suspension, compiling a 3-1 record with two complete games and a shutout in four starts. He had 34 strikeouts and a 2.19 ERA in 221/3 innings.
Junior Stephen Roe (1-1, 2.27 ERA) took Statham's spot in the rotation.
COACH RETURNS: Coach Erik Shafer was back on the bench for Wesley Chapel's game Thursday against Ocala Forest. Shafer was suspended for seven days following his ejection for arguing balls and strikes during a game against Tarpon Springs on March 29.
Two appeals were denied by the FHSAA.
With assistants Chris Sauer and R.J. Guyer at the helm, Wesley Chapel (7-8) lost to Pasco, Mitchell and Zephyrhills, extending its losing streak to seven games.
In an effort to recapture the magic that led to a school-best 7-1 start, the Wildcats spent the majority of Wednesday's practice working on fundamentals.
"I don't know what it is," Shafer said. "It's just right now, fundamentally, we're not playing the same type of baseball we were at the beginning of the year."
PITCHING IN: Ridgewood (8-8) has been plagued by defensive breakdowns and a lack of timely hits during an up-and-down season.
But one area has brought a smile to coach Larry Beets' face.
"I'm pleased with the pitching," he said.
Shannon Eva won and Jeff Roxby saved a 10-3 victory over Hudson on March 29. Two days later, Ben Koenigsfeld earned a 3-2 victory in relief over St. Louis Parkway Central.
Eva backed Bryan Hesse and Roxby in an 11-10 victory over Tarpon Springs on Friday, and Hesse pitched a season-high 52/3 innings during a 9-1 loss to Land O'Lakes on Wednesday.
IF ONLY...: Take away the first inning, and Mitchell (8-7) was East Ridge's equal on Tuesday. But five first-inning runs were the difference in a 6-1 loss.
Derek Shaw settled down after the first, striking out seven. Ryan Garton pitched well in relief.
"From that point on, it's 1-1," Mitchell coach Phil Bell said. "We give up only two hits the rest of the way."
