Devils eke out win over Eagles

By JEREMY WRITT
Published April 27, 2005

ST PETERSBURG - Jerremy Tomczak's walkoff single with the bases loaded in the eighth inning lifted St. Petersburg High 5-4 over East Lake on Tuesday at rain-soaked Huggins-Stengel Field.

The Green Devils are 19-2.

"The conditions for pitching weren't great," Green Devils pitcher Dale Brannon said. "The mound was wet the whole day and you couldn't grip the ball very well, but my defense played behind me. It's tough to throw strikes when you're slipping around out there."

Brannon (6-2) held East Lake (14-10) to two runs before giving way to Adam Recvlohe (7-0, 2 saves) with the game tied in the seventh. The Eagles added two runs in the top of the eighth to put the pressure on St. Petersburg.

"Just be patient and make sure (they) get good balls to swing at," St. Petersburg coach Stefan Futch told his squad. "Don't chase any balls out of the zone and take it one pitch and one batter at a time."

Vince Grasso drew the first of three extra-inning walks, moving over Brannon, who had singled earlier, to second. Recvlohe's RBI single scored Brannon and moved Grasso to third.

Down a run with no outs and runners on the corners, junior Ryan Luker hit a sacrifice fly to right off East Lake's Matt Gracie, tying the score at 4.

Two outs later, Courtland Chambers drew another walk. Danny Bacon then singled and Charlie Golenbock got the final walk to load the bases, setting the stage for Tomczak.

[Last modified April 27, 2005, 00:49:07]