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By STEVE LEE, Times Staff WriterAn extra-inning victory helps the baseball team on its way to the district championship.
LAND O'LAKES - The 9-10 baseball team from Land O'Lakes won four of five games to capture a District 25 title, avenging a 5-1 loss to New Tampa with an 8-1 win in the rematch.
The pivotal game in the tournament, however, was a 4-3 win over Dade City in extra innings. That seven-inning victory kept Land O'Lakes in the winners' bracket and was the team's third straight.
"That was everything," Land O'Lakes manager Mike Hebert said.
"Had we lost that, it would have changed the scheme of things."
Land O'Lakes led 3-0 before Dade City tied it in the top of the sixth. Dade City might have gone ahead if not for an inning-ending double play with centerfielder Justin Ortiz making a catch and throwing out a runner at home and catcher Travis Doyle applying the tag.
Land O'Lakes' Marcus Guzman scored the winner in the bottom of the seventh. Guzman drew a leadoff walk, stole second and later scored from third on an infield single by Ortiz.
Pitcher Cody Hebert went 2-0 for Land O'Lakes, and teammates Lane Ketterer and Chase Ingram each won a game.
DISTRICT 12: Hudson's 9-10 baseball team doubled its win total, improving to 4-0 after Monday's 4-1 win over Palm Harbor and Wednesday's 24-1 defeat of Tarpon Springs.
Hudson is seeking the first district title for that league since the senior baseball team won the 1986 championship.
"They're really starting to hit," Hudson manager Jim Mattos said. "As long as we play as good as we've been playing, we shouldn't have a problem."
Starting pitcher Tyler Deliberte (2-0) scattered three hits, struck out eight and walked two for the win against Palm Harbor. In the Tarpon Springs game, Jarred Matto, the manager's son, got the win.
The Faulkner twins, Michael and Kevin, combined for five hits and seven RBIs in the Tarpon Springs game. Michael had a single, double and triple and drove in four. Kevin hit a three-run home run and doubled.
Additionally, Andrew Meyer, Josh Pilja and Mattos each had three RBIs, and Shawn Fluke added two RBIs.
Meyer and Mattos had run-scoring singles against Palm Harbor.
Holiday's major baseball team (3-0) added two wins by defeating Tarpon Springs 14-3 and East Lake 3-0.
Kevin Games, who pitched a no-hitter in the series-opening 14-0 win over Countryside, tossed a one-hitter with 16 strikeouts against East Lake.
Conner Hale scattered four hits against Tarpon Springs. Gavin Hunt had three hits against East Lake and a two-run homer against Tarpon Springs.
West Pasco's junior softball team also improved its record to 3-0 thanks to a 16-14 win over Safety Harbor and Palm Harbor's forfeit.
Errors plagued both teams in the win over Safety Harbor. The teams combined for 20 errors, 12 by Safety Harbor.
West Pasco's 10-3 lead turned into an 11-10 deficit after Safety Harbor capitalized on five West Pasco errors for eight runs in the top of the third.
West Pasco scored three in the bottom of that inning to take a 13-11 lead it never relinquished.
Brittany Martin doubled and Kristen Stump walked with both runners scoring when Becky Feiler reached on an infield error. Feiler scored when a Safety Harbor outfielder misplayed Lyndsey Smith's line drive.
To get your team's all-star results and highlights in the Pasco Times, call Steve Lee at 813 909-4607 or e-mail lee@sptimes.com