Sports

Hillsborough hitters finally cash in

By BRANDON WRIGHT
Published May 6, 2006

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TAMPA - Pat Russo was hot Friday night.

Not that it's uncommon for the feisty Hillsborough coach to lose his cool on occasion, but this was getting a little ridiculous. The Terriers had runners in scoring position with less than two outs against Venice and came up empty four times in the first four innings and trailed by a run.

"I was starting to get frustrated," Russo said.

So Russo, who had been uncharacteristically reserved throughout the first four innings, decided to let his team have it - really have it.

"I said today, for a change, I'm going to relax," Russo said. "But then we had chances in the first, then the second, then the third. Finally I chewed them and I chewed them a good one."

Russo unloaded on the Terriers and they responded with a four-run fifth to beat the visiting Indians 6-1.

"Once we hit that fourth inning (I got nervous) because we had goose eggs the whole time and nobody has held us down like that," Hillsborough's Chris Ramirez said.

Alex Cooks (2-for-3) and Orlando Bacon (2-for-3) singled to open the fifth but after Michael Burgess fanned for the third time, it looked like the inning was setting up to end like the previous four: in frustration. But Ramirez ripped a single up the middle on a hit-and-run to score Bacon.

With two outs Marco LaMonte's pop fly to right field was mishandled, allowing Bacon and Ramirez to score. Pinch hitter Ryan Fleming then ripped a shot to third base that caromed off Jordan Wear's glove and into the outfield, bringing LaMonte home.

Joey Gildea (9-1) picked up the win, scattering four hits and striking out four for Hillsborough (28-4).

King shut out

EAGLE LAKE - In a win-or-go-home situation like these playoffs, a strong pitching performance can be nearly impossible to overcome.

King learned that lesson the hard way on Friday. The Lions had no answer for Lake Region starter Craig Crumbly (7-1), and fell 2-0.

Crumbly used a variety of curveballs and off-speed pitches to keep King's batters guessing. The junior right-hander gave up one hit, a single to centerfielder Brian Hassani in the fourth inning, and struck out eight. "You don't see a curveball like that, or slider, whatever he was throwing, you don't see a guy throw it that many times and throw it for strikes," King coach Jim Macaluso said. King (19-8) appeared rattled early and spent the rest of the game trying to recover. Lions starter Dustin Merrell (7-2) gave up a leadoff double to Ronnie Richardson and a bloop single to start the game; two of three hits Merrell allowed all night. Richardson scored Lake Region's first run on a throwing error by King shortstop Branden Blake.

Lake Region (21-8) added another run in the fourth on an RBI double by designated hitter Will Arnold.

King's best opportunity came in the sixth when the Knights got runners on first and second with one out. Hassani fouled out and Mike Wilson was picked off of second.

- BRYAN BURNS, Times correspondent

Bulls stunned in seventh

WINTER HAVEN - Matt Fairel had a quiet first six innings Friday against Bloomingdale. Starting in right field for Winter Haven, Fairel made one catch for an out and at the plate flied out to left twice and grounded to first. But in the seventh inning, Fairel put his mark on the game.

In the top of the inning he came on to get the final out for the Blue Devils with one pitch.. However, it was Fairel's bat that earned him the win.

With runners on first and second Fairel hit a home run that just cleared the right-field fence to give Winter Haven the 5-2 victory.

The Bulls' first-inning lead came from a leadoff home run by senior Mike Green and an RBI single by Chris Latuf, which plated Derek Hirsch. Zack Pietrzyk pitched the whole game for Bloomingdale. Pietrzyk had three strikeouts.

"Both pitchers pitched great," Bloomingdale coach K.B. Scull said. "Pietrzyk had a good changeup all night. He really battled."

- JARRETT GUTHRIE, Times correspondent

REGION FINALS

Tuesday, 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

CLASS 5A

Hillsborough (28-4) at Northeast (23-5)

CLASS 4A

Bartow at Jesuit (23-6)

CLASS 3A

Tampa Catholic (17-11) at Clearwater Central Catholic (21-8)

[Last modified May 6, 2006, 02:15:18]

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