Class 4A packed with county kids

Eight players are named to the classification's all-state teams.

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published June 17, 2007

Zephyrhills standout Geoff Parker, the Times' all-county Player of the Year, heads up a group of eight county players named to the Class 4A all-state baseball team Friday.

Parker, an FSU signee who tied for the county lead in wins with 10 and led with 10 homers, was the lone first-team selection.

Pasco placed six on the teams: junior Dustin Brown and senior catcher Zach Maggard were named to the second team, and junior pitcher Aaron Brandt, senior outfielder Trevor Hobbs and junior infielders Quinten Jones and Jake Schrader were honorable mentions.

Hudson outfielder Sam Donataccio, who led the Cobras in batting, homers and RBIs, was picked as the designated hitter for the third team.

Parker, currently playing summer ball in Ohio, led the young Bulldogs this past season by hitting .488 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs. He also went 10-2 on the mound with 105 strikeouts.

His only two losses - and the only team to score an earned run off him - were to the Pirates, 26-4 this season and region finalists who lost to eventual state champion Orlando Bishop Moore.

Brown was the staff ace, winning eight games, including the district final and region semifinal. His battery mate, Maggard, led the Pirates by hitting .537 with six homers and 32 RBIs.

Brandt was 9-1 this season, losing the season finale and snapping a 15-game win streak over two seasons.

Hobbs, who batted ninth, and Schrader, who hit lead off, batted .463 and .495, respectively, while Jones was one of six Pirate starters to bat over .400.

John C. Cotey can be reached at 813909-4612 or johncotey@gmail.com.

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[Last modified June 16, 2007, 19:47:33]