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By FRANK PASTOR
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 9, 2001
VENICE -- For once, it was the Indians, and not the Cougars, lying in wait.
After yielding a first-inning run, Venice ambushed Durant with seven runs in its first three at-bats to win the Class 6A, Region 2 final 7-1 on Tuesday at Venice High.
Venice (23-10) will play the Miami Beach-Hialeah winner in the state semifinals on May 18 at Legends Field.
"They dominated in every facet of the game," Durant coach Gary Graham said.
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.
Venice defeated Durant 2-1 in the Class 5A region quarterfinals in 1999.
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.
Venice coach Craig Faulkner said his team had a plan for Durant starter Jarvis Hicks, whom the Indians had scouted on numerous occasions this season.
"He throws a big, (looping) curveball," Faulkner said. "If he's not real consistent with it, we get his fastball."
Hicks, who set a school record for victories (10) this season, surrendered six runs on seven hits before giving way to Steve Lee with two runners on and no outs in the third.
After allowing an RBI single to Mike Matthews and a two-run single to Steve Pavliak, Lee limited Venice to no runs and three hits the rest of the way.
If Lee was effective, Hughey was downright dominant.
The Auburn recruit struck out seven while holding Durant without an earned run on two hits and two walks in seven innings.
The left-hander retired 17 of 18 batters between the second and seventh innings, including 10 consecutive.
"Arnold Hughey is in a class by himself out here," Graham said. "He made some good hitters look pretty bad tonight."
For the second consecutive season, Durant fell one win short of a state semifinal berth. The Cougars lost to eventual state champion Merritt Island in last year's region final.
"We're right there knocking on the door," Graham said.
"But we can't seem to open it up yet."