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Early errors prove costly as Dade City falls to Apopka for the second year in a row.
By WAYNE GRUMET
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 26, 2001
DADE CITY -- The Dade City major baseball team saw its sectional tournament come to an abrupt halt Wednesday when the wheels came off against Apopka.
Apopka scored four unearned runs in the first inning, and Stuart Tapley threw a no-hitter in a 13-0 four-inning rout at Burks Park.
Dade City beat Apopka, the defending state champion, 3-2 on Saturday. That win avenged a 3-2 semifinal loss at last year's sectional tournament.
But in the end, Apopka again was the team to hand Dade City its final loss.
Apopka put the game out of reach in the third with a nine-run, two-out rally.
Apopka pounded out six base hits off Dade City starter Jamie Cruz. "We just weren't ready to play ball. Obviously, that's what it was," Dade City coach Dale Maggard said.
"At this level, you just cannot make errors. If that isn't the best team in the state of Florida, then it's one of the best."
Dade City's defense faltered in the first inning, allowing Apopka to keep a rally alive. Third baseman Geoff Parker committed three consecutive errors in the inning.
Later in the inning, Cruz uncorked three wild pitches.
The Dade City defense continued to lapse in the third. A two-base error by rightfielder Gerard Mathis opened the floodgates for Apopka.
"All you have to do is lose a little bit of edge, and all of a sudden, a team of this caliber pounds you all over the field," Maggard said. "Jamie (Cruz) lost a little heart there.
"After he sees four of five errors in a row, that zip isn't there anymore."
Apopka starting pitcher Stuart Tapley took the early lead and made sure it held up, allowing no hits and striking out eight. Dade City's three baserunners came on walks.
Apopka face Bloomingdale at 2 p.m. today.
Apopka must win to force a second game to be played after the first.