Nary a bad Pirates' swing

Land O'Lakes can't cool Pasco's hot hitting.

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published March 8, 2007

LAND O'LAKES - It was a bad pitch, up around his eyes - "right about here," Trevor Hobbs said, saluting from the tip of the bill of his cap - and he sent it out over the centerfield fence for a home run.

When things are going right, they are going right. Or left, as many of Pasco's hits did Wednesday night. Or center, like Hobbs' homer.

The end result was another thorough performance by the Pirate bats, backed by another solid effort on the hill in a 10-0, five-inning rout of Land O'Lakes.

"We've all got a good stick," Hobbs said after the Pirates remained Pasco County's only unbeaten public school team and improved to 8-0.

Hobbs' first homer aside, the Pirates didn't crush the ball. Instead, it was a couple of dribblers here, a few bleeders through the right side there, a double off the pitcher's leg and just enough line drives to keep its reputation for being Pasco County's best hitting team intact.

The Pirates had 13 hits, with every starter but one reaching base and seven doing so via hit.

"We've still got a young bunch, but right now they are playing well," said coach Ricky Giles, who was expecting some early-season struggles that haven't materialized.

Land O'Lakes 5-2, coming off a tough 3-2 loss to Jesuit that it threw away with errors, started lefty Trey Dahl, who was making his first start ever. Dahl struggled with his control early, but struck out five in three innings and left trailing 3-0.

Pasco then broke the game open in the fourth inning with five runs, all unearned.

In the fifth, the Pirates finished the Gators off. Hobbs led off with his homer, and Jorge Jaramillo singled in Will Pullin, giving them their 10th run to trigger the mercy rule once they put the Gators down scoreless in the fifth.

The Gators offense, which coach Cal Baisley said has been searching for consistency, never figured out Pirates starter Dustin Brown, who improved to 3-0 with a one-hitter.

The lone Gator hit was a slice down the rightfield line that Josh Johnson dove for but couldn't corral. Land O'Lakes advanced only one runner past second.

Brown struck out four as the Pirates notched their third consecutive shutout, all 10-0 wins.

John C. Cotey can be reached at johncotey@gmail.com or (727) 869-6261

[Last modified March 8, 2007, 00:14:11]