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Urgency gives Rams top seed

By FRANK PASTOR
Published April 22, 2005

NEW PORT RICHEY - For the past week or so, Ridgewood coach Larry Beets has been trying to instill a one-game-season mentality in his players.

"If we don't win," Beets said, "we turn the uniforms in."

The Rams' newfound urgency helped them earn the top seed for the Class 4A, District 10 tournament May 3-6 at Gulf.

Ridgewood clinched with a 5-4 victory over Hudson on Wednesday. Shannon Eva drove in three runs and James Noto had two RBIs as the Rams (12-9) completed district play with a 7-3 record.

Tarpon Springs also finished 7-3, but Ridgewood had the tiebreaker because it swept third-place Zephyrhills (5-5), while Tarpon Springs lost twice to the Bulldogs.

Ridgewood won six of its final seven district games to overcome a 1-2 start. Beets said bottom-of-the-lineup hitters such as Eric Slotter, who is batting over .300 with 26 walks, have set the table for Noto, Eva and Jeff Roxby.

"Those three knew coming in they had to hit, and they've rose at different occasions," Beets said.

Though Ridgewood and Tarpon Springs will receive first-round byes in the tournament and need only one win to advance to the playoffs, Beets is taking nothing for granted in a tight, six-team district.

"It's still going to be that tight all the way through," Beets said. "It's anybody's district. Nobody is superior. Nobody is inferior."

Wednesday's game was no exception.

Eva was driven from the mound after walking the first two batters in the second inning with Ridgewood leading 3-2. But he was more effective at the plate, driving in two runs with a first-inning single and pushing home another in the fifth.

Relief pitcher Ben Koenigsfeld threw five innings, striking out four and allowing seven hits before yielding to Bryan Hesse in the seventh.

Ridgewood moved ahead 5-2 after a two-run fifth, but Hudson scored once in the sixth and closed to 5-4 on Brandon Nourse's sacrifice fly in the seventh. Hesee got Vince Ferlita to fly out to end the game.

[Last modified April 22, 2005, 00:44:19]