Jesuit Tigers 'don't die,' reach 4A title game

JESUIT 2, ROYAL PALM BEACH 1: The Tigers rally for two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Royal Palm Beach.

By KEITH NIEBUHR

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 18, 2000

TAMPA -- The team once thought to be Jesuit's worst in years now is one win away from being remembered as one of its greatest thanks to an improbable seventh-inning rally.

The Tigers scored two runs with two outs in the final frame to come from behind and stun Royal Palm Beach 2-1 in the Class 4A semifinals at Legends Field.

Jesuit, which had three singles through six innings, strung together four consecutive base hits in the seventh, the game-winner coming off the bat of pinch-hitter Ryan Walker, who had five RBI through Jesuit's first 32 games.

Three of Jesuit's seventh-inning hits came with two strikes.

"We have a phrase, and it's "We don't die,"' Jesuit pitcher Richie Warren said. "We didn't die."

Jesuit (20-13) plays Jacksonville Bishop Kenny (34-1), Baseball America's No. 2-ranked team, at 7 tonight for the 4A title. Jesuit won championships in 1994 and 1997. Bishop Kenny has never won a state title. In 1996, Bishop Kenny defeated Jesuit 4-3 in the state semifinals.

"It's kind of been a magical three or four weeks for us," Jesuit coach John Crumbley said. "Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then."

Jesuit started the seventh harmlessly enough as Rob Gelcich and Eric Baumann were fanned by Chris Bishop (8-4).

"Everybody was over there cheering but me," RPB coach Carey Bush said. "But I'm always thinking the worst."

With two outs and an 0-2 count, David Bartelt singled to center to keep Jesuit alive, and Carl Smith followed with another single.

Bishop answered by getting two quick strikes on Greg Quatrino on a pair of breaking balls. He hung a third breaking pitch, and Quatrino lined a double to left, scoring Bartelt and making it 1-1.

"I was down to two strikes, and I knew I wasn't going to make the last out," Quatrino said. "I knew a curve was coming, I knew I had to put the ball in play."

Bishop gave way to Shenan Moore, who ran a 1-2 count on Walker before Walker delivered a seeing-eye single to left that scored the winning run.

"I usually don't think until the game is over," Crumbley said. "There was a moment I said, "Hey, it's not looking too good. It's kind of looking bleak."

RPB (21-10) did nothing at the plate through six innings against Warren (4-5), who at one point retired 15 consecutive hitters.

In the seventh, the Wildcats put together a two-out rally started by Kason Gabbard, who singled to left with two strikes. Anthony Cantanese followed with another single to left then stole second to put runners and second and third.

Moore's liner to left gave RPB a 1-0 lead, but Cantanese was thrown out at home to end the inning.

RPB's run off Warren was only the second earned run Jesuit has allowed in its past 35 innings.

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