Pirates start strong, then hold on at end

Pasco cruises in the early going before Ridgewood rallies.

By MIKE TOMPKINS
Published March 10, 2006

DADE CITY - In a surprisingly weak game between two of the county's strongest teams, Pasco used three walks, a hit batter and a Ridgewood error to jump to a 5-0 first-inning lead en route to a 7-5 victory.

The Pirates also had their struggles, as the teams combined for 11 walks, five errors, and five hit batters Thursday.

"Anytime you get a (Larry) Beets-coached team," Pirates coach Ricky Giles said, "you know you're going to get a good ballgame. We call him the Godfather, and I've got so much respect for him. There's been games when they've gotten us. Tonight we were fortunate to come out on the winning end."

Pasco was fortunate from the get go against its Sunshine Athletic Conference foe.

After the Pirates' (5-2) first two hitters were sat down in order, the floodgates opened.

Robbie Shields walked, then scored as the ensuing hitter, catcher Zach Maggard, drove a double to the right-centerfield fence. After a single by Stephen Roe drove Maggard's pinch runner, Trevor Hobbs, to third, Rams starter Ben Koenigsfeld hit Kenny Statham.

Rightfielder Dustin Brown followed and hit a little dribbler back to Koenigsfeld, apparently ending the inning. Koenigsfeld, however, underthrew first baseman Doug Burlett, allowing Hobbs and Roe to score, making it 3-0.

Quenton Jones then singled, scoring Statham, who had advanced to third on the error. A walk by Julian Juarez loaded the bases, and it also chased Koenigsfeld. Relief pitcher Bryan Sharpe walked leadoff hitter Mike Onyskin, forcing in Brown. Jaime Cruz struck out with the bases loaded to end the onslaught.

Pasco's defense began to break down, allowing the five Rams (8-3) runs to score on three errors in the third and sixth innings, respectively. But two run-scoring singles by Jones and Juarez, the eighth and ninth hitters, in the fifth inning proved to be the difference.

[Last modified March 10, 2006, 01:59:17]