Gators enter semifinal with pitching questions

By STEVE LEE

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 5, 2000

LAND O'LAKES -- A day before Land O'Lakes' biggest game of the year, starting pitcher Cory Doyne was MIA at practice.

Coach Calvin Baisley said Doyne left school Thursday with flu-like symptoms. Asked if he still planned to start the hard-throwing right-hander, Baisley responded, "Hopefully."

If Doyne is too sick to take the mound when the Gators host Sarasota in tonight's Class 5A, Region 3 semifinal at 7:30, Baisley said he would not hesitate sending out Kurt Shafer, who earlier this week accepted a scholarship offer to South Florida.

"I'd go to Shafer in a minute. I wouldn't even blink," Baisley said.

"On most teams, he's No. 1. I don't even look at it as having a No. 1. I have a 1, a 1A and a 1AA," Baisley said, alluding to starters Doyne (7-0), Shafer (6-2) and Derek Thompson (9-0). With Thompson coming off a 15-strikeout effort in Land O'Lakes' 4-2 regional quarterfinal win Tuesday over Plant, it is Doyne's turn in the rotation. Catcher Brian Baisley, the coach's son, said Doyne is the ideal pitcher to face perennial powerhouse Sarasota (24-7).

"He's got a pitcher's mentality," he said. "He thinks he's the best pitcher out there and nobody can hit him. So far, that's the way it's been."

Doyne's stingy 1.10 ERA and 90 strikeouts support Brian Baisley's assertion. But Doyne, who transferred from Tampa Catholic last year, would put his unbeaten record on the line against Jason Miller (8-0), the Sailors' southpaw who also has yet to lose.

"It's as good as it gets," coach Baisley said. "It's going to be a low-scoring game that's probably going to be decided by one mistake."

With the Gators (25-4) two wins away from their first final four berth, Baisley said his players were not intimidated by a program that won national titles in 1989 and 1994 and has seven state titles, but rather eager to test their mettle against a top-notch team.

"They know what they're up against, but they're confident," Baisley said. "They know they can compete. They know when we throw our pitchers up we can compete against anybody."

Before Thursday's practice, the Gators joked and appeared anything but uptight while loosening up. But the team is anything but complacent, the coach said.

"We battled complacency all year, but we always play good in a big game," Baisley said. "I think a lot of these kids have played in big games and been successful in those situations. Their focus is a lot better."

Part of that stems from coming so close to the final four last year, when Land O'Lakes lost in the regional semifinals to Merritt Island.

"They said, "That could be us,' last year," Baisley said.

Tonight, with a regional semifinal win, it could indeed.

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