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Mustangs earn first-ever victory

By WAYNE GRUMET

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 21, 2001

WESLEY CHAPEL -- Wesley Chapel has been around a little longer than Mitchell, but the Wildcats didn't look like the more experienced club Tuesday.

The second-year Wildcats committed four errors, left 11 runners on base and managed just three hits in a 9-4 loss to first-year Mitchell as the Mustangs won their first game in school history by pounding out 12 hits with no errors.

Host Wesley Chapel (1-12) sealed its fate in the second inning with two errors to pack the bases full of Mustangs. Mitchell would score six runs including five with two outs.

Matt Tate and Jared Dotoli came through in the clutch as each drove in two runs with two outs. Dotoli tallied the final two runs with a double to right-center.

Mitchell erased a 1-0 deficit and left the Wildcats reeling.

"I think they were more emotionally into the game than we were. There's no doubt about that," Wesley Chapel coach Steve Mumaw said. "Our kids played them in the preseason in the first game of the year and we beat them 12-2. Unfortunately, I think they came out today thinking all we had to do was show up."

Mitchell (1-14) played well but did give Wesley Chapel plenty of chances to come back.

Mustangs starter Brian Sommer struggled to find the strike zone and walked eight batters and hit two others. More important, Sommer (1-4) allowed just one hit while working out of plenty of trouble.

"He was a bulldog out here today ... Brian really got it done when he needed to," Mitchell coach Phil Bell said. "We've been working on control with him but he tries to overthrow sometimes. He really settled down and threw strikes when he needed to."

Wesley Chapel scored two runs off Sommer in the third to cut the deficit to 6-3. A hit by Justin Wortley highlighted the rally as was the only one allowed by Sommer. Mitchell finished strong to keep Wesley Chapel at bay, scoring a run in each of the final three innings. Mitchell's Michael Reid then closed the door with three scoreless innings of relief with five strikeouts.

Mitchell faced just the second team this year with a losing record. The Mustangs play in a tough district with defending 3A state champion Jesuit, Clearwater Central Catholic, St. Petersburg Catholic, Osceola and Tampa Catholic.

With most of the district slate behind them, the Mustangs are looking for a fresh start.

"The whole team played together. We needed this win," said Tate, who was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI.

"This game would be our first game. We started a new season. We'll take it on for the rest of the season and keep the same confidence going."

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