Teams give fans Series hope

By CAREY FREEMAN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 13, 2001

CRYSTAL RIVER -- There have been several Dixie League Baseball efforts in Citrus County since major-leaguer Mike Hampton led a team to the 1989 World Series.

But there is just something different about this year's Dixie Majors (17-18) squad -- a different look, a different attitude, different expectations.

"We feel excited about it," coach Russ Lindeman said. "This is a well orchestrated team. They all know their positions, the ins and outs of the game, and they've worked together for a long time. They are excited about going to state."

They are not the only ones. All over Crystal River, people are talking baseball and about this team and its chances in this weekend's Dixie League State Tournament in Sebring.

Fans have been talking a lot more since Brent Hall accepted the job as head coach of the Crystal River High School baseball program last summer. Hall resurrected the Pirates in his first season and resurrected the hopes of local residents, who have waited nearly 13 years for a youth team to return to a World Series.

Though Hall is not the coach and isn't directly involved with the Dixie programs, he has left a prominent stamp on the Major and the Pre-Major (15-16) clubs. All but two members of the Majors squad are Crystal River players, and one of those two -- Lecanto's Jimmy Metz -- is planning to transfer to Crystal River this fall. All 13 members of the Pre-Majors team are Crystal River students.

But school allegiance isn't the only mark of Hall's presense. In fact, it's a small one. The real impression he's made has been in the area of coaching.

"He has brought them a long way," Lindeman said. "To see the turnaround he has made ... just at field itself. You can also see it in the way the team has responded to him -- not only on the field, but in the classrooms too."

Hall has brought them this far, but it's up to Lindeman, manager Ed Stack and coach Bo Trenary to take them the rest of the way. The Crystal River Pirates, as the Majors like to call themselves, will begin state tournament play 7 p.m. Saturday against host Highlands County at Fireman's Field. If the Pirates win the double-elimination event that should wrap up Thursday, they automatically will qualify for the World Series, July 28-Aug. 3 in North Charleston, S.C.

Lindeman expects a challenge, but thinks his team has the heart and talent to make it to the Series.

It is a point that's hard to argue given that the squad carries seven Times All/Citrus Hernando first-team selections on its roster, including player of the year Clayton Trenary, Danny Caron, Marcus Galvan, Jonathan Runnels, Will Bleakley and Ryan Starkey from Crystal River and Metz from Lecanto.

"This is as good at it gets," Lindeman said. "I'm sure we'll see some good teams down there, but this team is very well developed."

The same could be said of the Pre-Majors' Buccaneers, who look strikingly similar to Crystal River High's junior varsity.

The Bucs will travel to Bonifay in the panhandle for their state tourney after taking the district title in a two-game sweep of Williston last weekend. The Buccaneers face Highlands County at 3 p.m. Saturday at Holmes County High. Like their older counterparts, the Bucs have a long history together and benefitted from the tutelage of Hall last spring.

"They all came up through Little League together," manager Terry Austin said. "Now they're pretty much the J.V. this year."

DIXIE LEAGUE BASEBALL

CRYSTAL RIVER PIRATES

MAJORS (17-18)

MANAGER: Ed Stack.

COACHES: Bo Trenary, Russ Lindeman.

ROSTER: Bobby Stack, P; Ryan Lindeman, P; Marcus Galvan, 1B; Clayton Trenary, P/C; Jimmy Metz, P/2B; Jonathan Runnells, SS; Matt Maggiore, 3B; Kevin Bradley, 3B; Scott Miller, LF; Will Bleakley, OF; Kyle Griffin, OF; Danny Caron, C/P/OF.

IMPORTANT DATES: Saturday-Thursday -- State tournament, Sebring. July 28-Aug. 3 -- World Series, North Charleston, S.C.

CRYSTAL RIVER BUCCANEERS

PRE-MAJORS (15-16)

MANAGER: Terry Austin.

COACHES: Chet Cole, Wayne Embree, Ed Gerrits.

ROSTER: E.J. Gerrits, 2B; Drew Austin, SS; Ryan Starkey, P/RF; William Bunch, P/CF; Zac Cole, P/1B; Tim Embree, CF/LF; Dana Robbins, C/OF; Josh Hall, C/OF; Kevin Lanier, 3B; Ryan Pearson, 3B/OF; Lance Ives, OF; Norman Longfellow, 1B/OF; Caleb Goodman, P/OF.

IMPORTANT DATES: Saturday-Thursday -- State tournament, Bonifay. July 28-Aug. 3 -- World Series, Florence, S.C.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright