Gators, Royal Knights split showdowns

By JOHN C. COTEY

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 5, 2000

LAND O'LAKES -- Rich Neste figured his first-inning home run was gone the minute he hit it, and he also figured it was the only offense Land O'Lakes would need.

He was right on both counts as Derek Thompson shut down River Ridge in a 7-0 win, avenging the Gators' only district loss this season.

Though the Gators scored runs on more than just Neste's fourth home run, they were hardly required as Thompson, the slick left-hander, allowed just five hits in six innings and struck out 12.

During one stretch from the second through fifth innings, nine consecutive Royal Knight outs were record via the whiff.

The county leader in strikeouts, Chris Langlois, opposed Thompson in a matchup featuring a pitcher with a perfect game this year (Thompson) against one with a no-hitter (Langlois).

The Royal Knight senior struck out six in five innings and allowed five hits, but four of the six batters he walked scored.

The win in the Class 5A, District 10 contest sets up Thursday's winner-takes-first-seed showdown with East Lake as the Gators improved to 6-1 in the district and 15-4 overall. River Ridge, which has already secured the No. 3 seed, dropped to 7-12, 4-3 in the district.

One of those district wins for River Ridge came against Land O'Lakes on March 10, and the Gators were intent on revenge.

"Right after we lost to them, I looked at the schedule to see when we played them next and checked the calendar," Thompson said. "I saw that it was on a Tuesday, my day (to pitch). I was ready for this one."

The Royal Knights were able to touch Thompson but fell short of delivering a solid blow. Thompson worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third, striking out Billy Phillips on a 3-2 pitch. He had his shutout preserved when Tom Dillon singled but Phillips was thrown out at home by Mike Huffman on a relay from rightfield in the sixth inning.

"They just had control the whole game," River Ridge coach Jack Homko said.

"We didn't get the big hit when we needed it. If we could have put a little more pressure on (Thompson). ... But that's what good pitchers do. They bow their necks when they have to."

Thompson said afterward he didn't have his curveball, but his fastball, particularly the one that tails away from right-handers, was very effective in the middle innings.

"I had the fastball going. That's what I was living with," Thompson said. "The curveball I couldn't quite get over. I thought from the first through fourth innings I was hitting my spots pretty well. In the fifth and sixth, I was probably a little tired."

Neste's home run, a line shot into a stiff wind off of a high fastball from Langlois, gave Land O'Lakes the early lead, and the Gators added three more in the fourth inning as Neste started another rally with a leadoff single. After Cory Doyne walked, the Gators sandwiched a popped-up bunt attempt and strikeout around another walk, to Derrick McNeil, to load the bases with two outs.

Justin Geisler then singled up the middle to score Neste and Doyne, and McNeil scored on the play when River Ridge botched the cutoff play with a bad throw to third.

Brian Baisley, who went 2-for-3, singled in a run in the fifth and then scored on a sacrifice fly.

Neste finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Geisler was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Jeff Baisley walked three times and scored twice.

For River Ridge, Greg Estevez had two singles and stole a base.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.