Baseball: Middleton grinds out tough win

By Eduardo A. Encina
Published March 5, 2008

TAMPA - Middleton baseball coach Vernon Slater could look at his team's four early-season losses and argue that the Tigers should have won at least three of them.

Untimely errors and inconsistent hitting have hurt the Tigers, especially late in games. But Tuesday, Middleton fought through raindrops to earn a much-needed 4-3 eight-inning walkoff win over Chamberlain, breaking Middleton's two-game losing streak.

"I know we have the talent to win games," Slater said. "I'm just waiting for it all to click."

Middleton pitchers Corey Thomas (six innings) and Aaron Fludd (two innings) held the Chiefs to two hits, but Chamberlain took a 3-1 lead in the second on three unearned runs in the inning, two of which came on an errant throw to first on a would-be double-play ball.

Thomas hit a towering home run to straightaway center to cut the lead to one, and the Tigers (4-4) manufactured a run later in the inning after Derrick Hudgins' single to left.

Chamberlain sophomore starter Sean Prieto then settled, striking out nine in a 12-batter span. Prieto finished with 14 strikeouts for the Chiefs (5-4).

Middleton catcher DeAndre Presley threw out two runners trying to steal second to quell a pair of late-inning Chiefs rallies.

"You've got to be able to execute," Chamberlain coach Dick Rohrberg said. "They were able to make plays defensively late in the game."

To lead off the eighth, Fludd, who had two infield hits and two stolen bases, battled Chiefs reliever Austin Black, slapping three pitches foul before hitting an opposite-field double down the rightfield line. Two batters later, Hudgins took a 2-2 pitch into the right-centerfield gap for a double and the game-winning hit.

"I was looking middle-half out. I just wanted to go with the ball," Hudgins said. "Maybe a win like this can change our momentum. It's our first win in a while."

Brandon 8, Bloomingdale 1

BRANDON - Brandon (6-2) may have found its future ace.

Chase Sparkman made his first career start against Bloomingdale (4-3), throwing five strong innings to lead the Eagles.

After allowing a home run to the Bulls' Zach Payne in the second, Sparkman allowed just three hits over the next three innings.

"I let up that home run but then I just settled down and did what I needed to do," Sparkman said. "We were on from the start, and that just got me going."

Eric Arce doubled in Brandon's first at-bat and scored on a single from James Ramsey. Mike Smith added an RBI groundout before the end of the inning.

Ramsey broke open the game in the fourth by sending a fly to left that continued to carry until it hit the bottom of the wall for a double. The sophomore finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, a stolen base and had two strikeouts in one inning of relief.

Brendan Galella, Times correspondent

Gaither 11, Sickles 3

TAMPA - Gaither centerfielder Steven Graf picked a perfect time to hit his first home run of the season: with the bases loaded.

Graf's first-inning grand slam helped the Cowboys jump out to an early lead as they cruised past Sickles.

He finished with a career-high six RBIs.

"Graf's been hitting the ball real well in practice," coach Frank Permuy said. "We've been hitting the ball well as a team, too."

The Cowboys (5-2) peppered Gryphon starting pitcher Gregg Cooke early and often. Cook failed to make it out of the second inning, allowing seven runs in 12/3 innings.

Sickles centerfielder Kenny Wilson started the game with a leadoff double and came around to score on a deep sacrifice fly to center from Josh Dunn.

But it was all Gaither after that.

The Cowboys added three more runs in the second thanks to hits from Derek Heiser, Sergio Delgado, Mike Danner and Graf.

Delgado finished 3-for-4 and Heiser went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Gaither starter Shaun Gough went six innings to get the win and allowed just one run on four hits.

Wilson led the Gryphons (3-2) with two doubles, two stolen bases and two runs scored.

Justin Dargahi, Times correspondent

[Last modified March 5, 2008, 12:58:07]