Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Hernando routs Zephyrhills

By WAYNE GRUMET

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 23, 2001

ZEPHYRHILLS -- Hernando blew open Thursday's game at Zephyrhills with an eight-run third inning, going on to win 13-3 in six innings.

Zephyrhills starting pitcher Tyson Prickett was cruising with a 2-0 lead after two innings, retiring the Leopards in order on just 16 pitches.

Hernando (7-8 overall, 2-4 in Class 4A, District 6) made Prickett work harder in the third. Andrew Runge reached with one out on an error by third baseman Mark Dunn. Prickett (2-2) then allowed a single, two walks and uncorked a wild pitch on ball four to give Hernando its first run.

Hernando's Stephen Blanton then changed the complexion of the game with a grand slam to centerfield for a 5-2 lead. But the Leopards weren't done.

Ben Bunn added a solo homer one batter later. Brad Wyatt followed with a double, and Greg Shaw sent a two-run home run to leftfield for an 8-2 lead. "That's the way things have been for us," Zephyrhills coach Bruce Cimorelli said. "Things just blow up for us."

Zephyrhills (6-9, 1-4) has lost its past two games by a combined score of 24-4.

Hernando pitcher Jason Dunn didn't give the Bulldogs many chances to rally. He allowed a colossal solo home run to Danny Wardell in the third inning. After Wardell's sixth home run of the season, Dunn (3-1) retired the next nine batters, including four strikeouts.

"Most guys give up a bomb like that to Wardell, and it would shake them up," Hernando coach Tim Sims said. "He settled right down."

Dunn pitched all six innings, allowing three hits and striking out six. The heart of Hernando's order pounded Prickett. The quintet of Blanton, Dunn, Bunn, Wyatt and Shaw combined to go 7-for-18 with 3 homers, 3 doubles and 7 RBI.

"Our team runs in spurts pretty much," Blanton said. "Once we start hitting, then we're good. So we hit, and everybody started hitting."

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright