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Freshman Charles Cleveland keys the Crusaders' comeback with a hit in the seventh. He also pitches four scoreless innings of relief.
By SCOTT PURKS
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 9, 2001
TAMPA -- Just about every story line imaginable was packed into Tuesday's Class 3A, Region 3 final at Tampa Catholic, where in the bottom of the 12th inning after 31/2 hours, TC defeated Avon Park 5-4.
Highlights included critical errors (three of Avon Park's runs were unearned), 18 stranded Avon Park runners, tired pitchers, defensive gems, a run in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings, and, of course, heroes.
The brightest star? A strong argument could be made for Crusaders freshman Charles Cleveland, who after making an error on a grounder in the fourth inning that led to three Avon Park runs, came back with a vengeance.
Not only did he get a hit to keep the seventh-inning rally alive, but he came in to relieve starter Tony Moscato in the eighth and threw four scoreless innings. And he did it after only three days of rest following Friday's complete-game victory.
"In the eighth I asked (Cleveland), do you want the ball or not?" TC coach Chuck Yingling said. "And he said, "Yeah, I want to make up for that mistake I made.'
"The last thing he wanted was to lose after that error. And well, look what he did. I tell you what, (Cleveland) is the gutsiest player in the world."
Gutsy indeed. In three of his four innings on the mound, Avon Park got the leadoff hitter on base, and twice loaded the bases. In the 10th, the Red Devils loaded the bases with no outs, but Cleveland and TC made three solid defensive plays to escape unscathed.
"Leaving men on base has been our problem all year," said Avon Park coach Mort Jackson, whose squad finished 19-11. "We've lost seven one-run games because we left runners on base. It killed us today."
In the end, TC's Robert Valiente hit a ball high to centerfield and Craig Corrado tagged up and scored the winning run.
The victory earns Tampa Catholic (25-5) another trip to the state tournament, where it has won eight titles, tying the Crusaders for the second-most in Florida history with Avon Park and Miami Westminster Christian.
TC will play its state semifinal Wednesday at Legends Field against Marianna, a 2-1 winner over Jacksonville Bolles.
SEMINOLE 13, COUNTRYSIDE 3: In the Class 5A, Region 3 final at Seminole, Seminole walloped Countryside in six innings to advance to the final four for the first time in school history, keep alive its unbeaten season and preserve its Baseball America No. 1 national ranking.
Countryside (19-12), which lost to Seminole for the fourth time this season, jumped ahead 2-0 on Chris Gajan's two-run home run in the top of the second, but Seminole (20-10 with 10 forfeit losses) stormed back to score eight runs in the bottom of the second, capped off by a grand slam by Bobby Wilson.
Seminole will play Gonzalez Tate (28-5) in a state semifinal May 18 at Legends Field in Tampa.
CLEARWATER 4, JEFFERSON 3: Clearwater advanced to its first state tournament since 1995 with a win over error-plagued Jefferson in the Class 4A, Region 3 final.
Matt Monnier singled home the game-winning run for Clearwater (19-13) in the bottom of the seventh after the bases were loaded off one hit, one intentional walk and two errors. The Tornadoes will play Tallahassee Godby on Wednesday.
The Dragons (18-11) committed six errors in the first three innings to fall behind 3-0, then tied the game with a three-run fourth. South Florida signee Jason Weintraub pitched well for Jefferson, giving up just one earned run.
SEMINOLE PRESBYTERIAN 16, FORT MYERS EVANGELICAL 13: Adam Rogers hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in 10 runs as Seminole Presbyterian defeated Fort Myers Evangelical at John J. Pizzio Memorial Field.
The win gave Seminole (24-7) its first berth in the state tournament.
The Lancers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning on Roger's three-run home run to leftfield and added two more in the second before Evangelical (11-14) stormed ahead with an eight-run third, sending 13 batters to the plate.
Seminole Presbyterian finally tied the game at 13 in the sixth inning as John Whitlock scored from first on a Tommy Salemy single to the wall which the Sentinel centerfielder misplayed. The Lancers took the lead for good when Salemy scored on Bobby Cupp's bases-loaded walk.
VENICE 7, DURANT 1: For once, it was the Indians, and not the Cougars, lying in wait.
After yielding a run in the first inning of the Class 6A, Region 2 final, Venice ambushed Durant with seven runs in its first three at-bats to win Tuesday at Venice High. Venice (23-10) will play the Miami Beach-Hialeah winner in the state semifinals May 18.
Arnold Hughey pitched a two-hitter, and Mike Matthews and Brian LaNinfa had six of Venice's 12 hits as the Indians handed the Cougars a post-season loss for the second time in three years.
Durant (21-7) briefly had the upper hand, scoring an unearned run in the top of the first. But Venice struck for three runs in the bottom of the inning, one in the second and three more in the third.
- Times staff writers contributed to this report.