Underdogs get their day

By KEITH NIEBUHR
Published April 26, 2007

TAMPA - Seconds after Jefferson reliever Chad Taylor ended a 5-4 Dragons win over Plant with a strikeout, he was mobbed by teammates a few feet from the mound. Three hours earlier, Middleton players had an equally exuberant party in rightfield after the Tigers finished off Hillsborough 6-4.

For each, there was plenty to celebrate.

By winning, fourth-seeded Jefferson and third-seeded Middleton not only secured a spot in today's final but advanced to regionals. And they did so by getting past higher-seeded teams (Plant was the top seed; Hillsborough was No. 2).

"That's why you play the game," Jefferson coach Pop Cuesta said.

Three weeks ago, Jefferson (15-9) had a losing record.

Now the Dragons are riding an eight-game win streak. Against Plant (19-6), starting pitcher Ramon Figueroa allowed 10 hits over six innings, but worked his way out of nearly every jam. By game's end, the Panthers had stranded nine runners.

At the plate, Jefferson did most of its damage in the third. Behind RBI singles from David Regidor and Mitch Lopez, the Dragons struck for four that inning to go ahead 5-1.

"We really seem to be playing well," Cuesta said. "And we got great pitching."

Ditto for Middleton (19-6), which was led by hurler Nevin Griffith (8-1). The Tigers were clutch with the bat, too. With the game tied at 4 in the sixth, they got back-to-back homers to left from Anthony Langston and Jamie Mallard.

"It was like something you'd see in a movie," first-year Middleton coach Vernon Slater said. "To me, it was just awesome."

[Last modified April 26, 2007, 00:13:56]