Sports: Bunting to blame for team's success and failure

Bunting to blame for team's success and failure

By STEVE LEE

LAND O'LAKES -- Bunting has its rewards, but it can also backfire.

Just ask the Land O'Lakes 9-10 baseball All-Star team. So far in the District 13 tournament, the strategy has helped Land O'Lakes win a game and lose one. Land O'Lakes scored twice in the top of the sixth inning Thursday on three consecutive bunts for a 6-5 comeback win over East Bay.

Then on Sunday against Lutz, the opposition took advantage off a combination of successful bunts and walks, and with the help of a handful of Land O'Lakes fielding errors, was dealt an 11-1 loss.

In between, Land O'Lakes beat Lutz 4-1 on Saturday.

All of which left Land O'Lakes and Lutz with matching 4-1 records heading into Monday night's championship game at the Land O'Lakes Recreation Complex. Results of that contest were unavailable at press time.

"We took two whole days to practice bunting, running on bunting and defending the bunt," said Land O'Lakes coach Toliver Payne, adding that he told his players, "You watch, it's going to come into play."

Behind by a run against East Bay and in its final at-bat, Land O'Lakes put the potential tying run on with Michael Howroyd's triple in the sixth. Howroyd then scored on a Martin Liwosz bunt. Ely Payne bunted Liwosz to third and Liwosz raced home on Matt Fuglesang's bunt.

In Land O'Lakes' defeat of Lutz, Ryan Cornett started his first game of the series, pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the first and went five scoreless innings to earn the win.

Cornett walked the first two Lutz batters in that game before allowing a single, but the Land O'Lakes defense bailed him out with a double play. Third baseman Derek Lynch fielded a grounder, stepped on the bag and threw home where Liwosz, the catcher, tagged out a Lutz baserunner.

RUNNERS-UP: Another Land O'Lakes team made it to the final, but the 9-10 softball All-Stars had to settle for being the District 13 runners-up after Saturday's 9-3 loss to Bloomingdale.

That loss, coupled with Thursday's 12-11 thrilling victory over East Bay, gave Land O'Lakes a 2-2 tournament record, good enough for second place.

"That might has well been a World Series game," Land O'Lakes coach Jackie Farnham said. "We won by one run. It was an awesome game."

In the top of the sixth inning against East Bay, Land O'Lakes snapped a tie at 10 when Keica Schiffer drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Becky Powell. Brittney Abel then stole home for a 12-10 lead.

Abel, who pitched two innings of relief and allowed a run in the bottom of the sixth, earned the win. She followed starter Michelle Bradley, who pitches much faster than Abel.

"Brittney threw them off with the speed," Farnham said of Abel. "They were swinging two times over before (the ball) got to the plate."

Land O'Lakes took an early lead on East Bay by scoring six runs in the second on singles by CeCe Douglas, Powell, Abel, Chloe LeTorneau, Autumn Getz, Katie O'Neil and Alicia Cronk.

TWO UNBEATENS: Shady Hills, which does not field softball teams in the District 15 All-Star series, boasts two unbeaten baseball teams.

The Seniors defeated Chiefland 11-2 Saturday and Dunnellon 3-2 on Sunday. The team plays again Thursday against Crystal River. The Shady Hills Majors shut out Crystal River 9-0 Saturday and faces Ocala American Thursday.

Shady Hills' 9-10 and Juniors cannot afford another loss in the double-elimination series. The 9-10 All-Stars split a pair of weekend games, beating Chiefland 10-9 before a 12-1 loss to Central Citrus. Shady Hills plays Ocala American Wednesday.

The Shady Hills Juniors dropped their opening game, 13-12 to Central Citrus. The Juniors play Thursday against Crystal River.

To get your team's results in the Pasco Times, please call Steve Lee at (813) 226-3457 or e-mail information to lee@sptimes.com.