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Palm Harbor storms to championship 7-4

Neither stall tactics by the opponent nor late balky weather can knock off team's run to title.

By JOHN SCHWARB

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 19, 2001

KISSIMMEE -- Palm Harbor survived five weeks for this. Through local play, the state tournament, a regional tournament and six days at the finals, the seniors finally reached the penultimate moment -- two strikes, two outs, bottom of the last inning in the title game.

One more pitch, and the Little League World Series title would be theirs.

So, what's 15 more minutes?

That, plus three hours, was what it took to become champions Saturday at Osceola County Stadium. Maracaibo, Venezuela, tried repeatedly to put off Palm Harbor's crowning, even getting an assist from Mother Nature, but Palm Harbor prevailed 7-4 for a long-awaited championship.

"It's awesome," Tyler Clippard said. "We just stuck it out and came through."

Palm Harbor cruised through three games in three days to start the week, outscoring opponents by a combined 15-4 to reach the championship game from the winner's bracket. But Venezuela, which Palm Harbor beat 5-1 Wednesday, proved much more feisty in the rematch.

Feisty or annoying, depending on which side of the stands you were on.

Midway through the hot game, Venezuela began stall tactics to try to throw off Palm Harbor and starting pitcher Ryan Harvey. The team continued despite its own catcher leaving the game at one point with heat exhaustion. On two occasions, the Venezuela manager delayed the game for prolonged discussions with the umpire, and as the game went on the batters became more deliberate at the plate.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the strategy looked like it was about to work. Palm Harbor brought a 6-2 advantage into the frame, but Alberto Orozco led off with a triple and Rodolfo Alliey singled him in to make it 6-3.

The third hitter, Luis Lugo, walked after the plate umpire ordered him into the batter's box following a slow stroll from the dugout.

But even with runners on first and second with no one, Palm Harbor appeared to catch a break when Jermaine Jimenez grounded back to Harvey. Only the pitcher airmailed his throw to third, allowing Alliey to score and make it a 6-4 game.

With runners then on second and third with still no out, momentum appeared to have left Palm Harbor. But Harvey reached back for another gear, and struck out the side.

"I don't know what they were doing, I guess they thought that if they slowed me down I'd get tired from the heat," Harvey said. "They kind of got me mad after a while."

After getting out of the logjam, Harvey came up with two out in the seventh and homered over the leftfield fence, giving himself insurance and a 7-4 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Harvey retired the first two men and walked Orozco. He had the Palm Harbor faithful on their feet moments later, with a full count on Alliey.

But with thunder cracking and several lightning bolts spotted the plate umpire ordered both teams off the field.

Fifteen minutes later the teams returned, and Alliey drew his walk. But Lugo struck out on four pitches, and the Palm Harbor celebration was on.

"That was murder. What was it, three hours?" coach John Pachik said. "Rough. It's almost a relief right now."

The top of the Palm Harbor order carried the day offensively, as Harvey, Clay Perkett and Chris Heil batted a combined 7-for-14 with five RBI.

A total of 3,600 teams worldwide competed for the title.

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