Late homer lifts Springstead
Pitcher Eric Nickolaison's extra-innings shot gives Eagles 6-4 win over Crystal River.
By LARRY BUGG
Published April 16, 2005
SPRING HILL - Eric Nickolaison jacked a two-run, eighth-inning walkoff home run to give Springstead a 6-4 win over Crystal River on Friday night.
Nickolaison (3-2) picked up the victory. His first homer of the season saddled Crystal River's Matt Schrantz (4-1) with his first loss. Springstead is 11-6 overall and 6-2 in the Class 4A, District 9. Crystal River fell to 10-7, 5-5.
Nickolaison, who will play baseball next year at Saint Leo, allowed six hits, walked two and struck out seven. He had four strikeouts in the final two innings.
"(The home run pitch) was belt high," Nickolaison said. "I didn't have my best stuff but I fought and we won it. ... We were kind of down but we just kept fighting. My curveball was working the best. Later in the innings, my arm feels better."
"Crystal River is a solid team and we have a solid team," Springstead coach Frank Vitale said. "Eric didn't have his best stuff. He battled. He struggled with his changeup. He was able to hang in there. Then he came up and hit the home run. You couldn't ask for more."
Springstead's Chris Powlus singled in two runs in the second inning and singled in a run in the fourth.
Springstead scored the tying run when Jay Olmstead drove in Mike Lambraia with a superbly performed suicide squeeze bunt.
Crystal River first scored in the third . Heath Frederick walked and Schrantz singled. One out later, Frederick scored on a passed ball. Schrantz came home on an error, one of three Eagles errors.
Two more errors resulted in a pair of Pirates runs in the fifth. Frederick singled and stole second. Schrantz reached this time on an error. Schrantz was forced out on a grounder with R.J. Cummins reaching first. Frederick and Cummins both scored on the error.
"Matt pitched a great ball game," Crystal River coach Rob Cummins said. "For the most part, he was ahead of the hitters. He did a pretty good job. We try to take advantage of everything they give us. (Nickolaison) didn't overpower us at all."