Clearwater goes back to basics to edge Hernando 2-1

By BRANT JAMES

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000

DUNEDIN -- Clearwater's mastery of the basics included executing a perfect hit-and-run and a squeeze bunt.

Hernando's lack of them included forgetting uniform parts and throwing temper tantrums.

Factor in Brett Baker's complete-game six-hitter, and it's amazing the Leopards were close in Clearwater's 2-1 second-round win at the Dunedin Easter Tournament on Tuesday.

"We've just not been hitting the ball lately," Clearwater coach Steve McKee said. "But when we've needed to, we've been able squeeze or lay one down or move runners up."

Clearwater (17-7) advances to play East Lake at 8 tonight at the Englebert Complex.

Clearwater scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth when Ryan Graham's squeeze bunt scored Baker. Freshman catcher Alan Sikes -- playing because senior Chris Cole was benched after forgetting to bring his uniform -- showed his inexperience on the play when he left home plate uncovered and made the putout at first instead of allowing pitcher Jason Dunn to field the ball. Baker had reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on a text-book hit-and-run by Chris Kroski, who pulled the ball to rightfield as freshman second baseman Brad Wyatt moved to cover second. Wyatt was in the game because senior starter John Neal threw a bat after striking out and was removed by coach Tim Sims.

Broken rules cost the Leopards a .524 hitter (Cole) and .368 hitter Denis Hernandez, who spiked his helmet after grounding out in the fifth, as Sims elected to make a point.

All that helped Baker improve to 5-1 by striking out seven.

"I was hitting my spots with all my pitches," Baker said. "I was keeping it down, and luckily, that was getting me lots of ground balls."

Hernando (16-11) took a 1-0 lead in the third when it bunched three singles, including a run-scoring shot by Drew Innes. Hernando left the first two of seven men on base in the inning and got only one more runner to third base.

"We had our chances," Sims said of a Leopards team that was batting .340. "Thing is, they could play small ball, and we couldn't."

Baker reached on a Hernandez error to start the Tornadoes' game-tying rally in the fourth and advanced on a Kroski bunt. Following a Graham single, Baker scored on Justin Cerrato's sacrifice fly.

Dunn (5-4) allowed five hits and struck out five.

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