Sports

Pinellas: County roundup

By BRYAN BURNS
Published February 20, 2008

---

ADVERTISEMENT

CLEARWATER - Clearwater coach David Vince made the decision at practice Monday to skip Craig Goodman's turn in the rotation after Goodman was hit on his throwing elbow in a game Friday.

It is a choice Vince would love to have back.

Dunedin scored seven runs in the first two innings off Dustin Sanford (1-1) to win 8-2 in both teams' district opener.

Goodman, meanwhile, came on in relief of Sanford with no outs in the second and threw superbly. The senior pitched the final six innings for the Tornadoes (3-1, 0-1) and gave up just one unearned run and struck out 10 without allowing a hit.

"In a way, it was a mistake on my part," Vince said. "Him getting hit on his throwing elbow, I just didn't think he would go, but he pitched well.

"In hindsight, if we had started him, the game might have been different."

Dunedin starter Max Kreuter (2-0) was equally effective after throwing four innings of one-hit baseball and striking out seven without surrendering a run.

"He's one of the guys that's been throwing for us for three years, and we expect a lot out of him," Dunedin coach Tom Hilbert said.

After being staked to a 3-0 lead in the first, Kreuter found himself in a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the bottom half of the inning but recovered to strike out the next two batters and get Sean O'Brien to pop out, ending Clearwater's best scoring opportunity.

"That was very big," Hilbert said. "Bases loaded and nobody out, we're not looking to come out giving up zero runs, we're just trying to play flood control, give up one run, two max."

Dunedin (2-2, 1-0) put four more runs on the scoreboard in the second to build its lead to 7-0.

"It makes you feel comfortable as a pitcher to know the guys behind you are scoring runs," Kreuter said.

 

Gaither 10, St. Petersburg 6

Gaither jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings but needed a three-run seventh inning to hold off the host Green Devils.

St. Petersburg (0-1) cut the lead to one with three runs in the sixth inning before Gaither (2-0) put the game away in the seventh.

 

Tarpon Springs 12, Pinellas Park 8

An eight-run fourth inning gave Tarpon Springs a 12-5 lead at home over Pinellas Park (1-2), and the Spongers held on.

Junior Robinson ran his record to 2-0 for Tarpon Springs (2-2).

 

Mitchell 2, Countryside 0

Countryside (2-2) managed just two hits at home in the district opener for both teams.

Doug Burlett hit a solo home run to pace Mitchell (2-0).

 

SOFTBALL

Countryside 8, Sickles 0

Countryside led just 1-0 after six innings before scoring seven runs in the seventh against host Sickles.

Desiree Baker got the victory to improve to 2-0 for the Cougars (5-0).

 

Osceola 4, Lakewood 2, 8 innings

At home, Osceola spotted Lakewood two runs before tying the game in the fifth inning and winning it in the eighth.

Lakewood (3-1) held a 2-0 lead in the fourth before allowing Osceola (2-0) to even the score with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

Allison Shirley had two doubles and was the winning pitcher (2-0) for the Warriors.

[Last modified February 20, 2008, 00:26:18]