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Errors cost Buccaneers again

East Lake takes advantage of Gulf miscues to win 9-4 and take third in the Tarpon Springs tournament.

By WAYNE GRUMET

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 13, 2001

TARPON SPRINGS -- Gulf seemed to take a vacation this spring break, committing 13 errors in splitting its first two games at the Tarpon Springs tournament. Gulf did have its best defensive showing of the tournament in Thursday's third-place game. But East Lake still pulled away for a 9-4 win.

"You can't spot a team like that runs early," Gulf coach Shaun Wiemer said. "You've got to make every single play you can against a team with so many offensive weapons. Other than the last two nights, we've been solid defensively all year."

East Lake (14-8) took a 6-1 lead after five innings thanks to three errors and a wild pitch. Those miscues accounted for four runs.

Gulf (10-13) scored in the first on Sidney Gibbs' two-out solo home run. East Lake's Nate Huegel answered with a solo homer of his own in the second.

East Lake starter Scott McMullian (5-2) cruised into the sixth, striking out seven while allowing four hits. At one point, he retired 11 of 12. However, Gulf got to McMullian in the sixth, scoring three runs to cut the lead to 6-4. East Lake's defense faltered this time, committing two errors that led to two runs.

East Lake answered in its half of the sixth, scoring three runs. Greg Crawford's two-run single pushed the lead to 9-4.

"We responded, and we answered. And that was enough to shut them down," East Lake coach Lee Byers said. "Scott was pretty much in control. They got back in there in the sixth. He lost a little, but he got right back and focused because we supported him."

As Class 5A, District 9 rivals, Gulf and East Lake were in a unique situation. Even though the teams were playing, the game didn't truly count.

The two resume a postponed district game against each other today at Gulf. The Bucs led 1-0 in the bottom of the second before the game was stopped due to rain. If the Bucs win today, they will earn a more important third-place finish in the district.

"I tried to get Shaun (Wiemer) to count this one, but he said no. And that was even before the game," Byers said. "I think we've played each other too many times."

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