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Hernando Today

Spring Hill 'Woops' It Up

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: August 3, 2008

It took five runs batted from David Woop and four no-hit innings of pitching by Dante Sollazzo Sunday to enable the Spring Hill Senior Boys (age 14) All-Star baseball team to defeat North Carolina Sunday in the Dixie League World Series held in Covington, Ga., 12-5.

The victory was the second straight for the Spring Hill club, who defeated Tennessee 10-4 on Saturday.

On Sunday, Woop was the hitting star for the Spring Hill club with five RBI while Dante Sollazzo came on in relief and threw four innings of no-hit ball helping the club improve its tournament record to 2-0 and overall post-season mark to 11-2.

Poor start

At first, things weren't looking so well for the Spring Hill club as starting pitcher Woop gave up two runs in the first inning and then left the mound in the second due to a sore pitching arm.

But to the rescue came Sollazzo. The right-hander gave up no runs or hits while walking two and striking out three.

"He pitched phenomenally," said Spring Hill Head Coach Mike Sollazzo, about his son. "He was fantastic, he kept them so off-balance, they didn't know what was going on."

Spring Hill also benefited from Ian Townsend and Woop, who each went 3-for-3. Townsend collected two RBI in the game while Woop had a double.

Chipping in was Louis Colaiacomo, who had a home run and two hits as Spring Hill now has scored 22 runs in two games.

"We actually played a little sloppy early on," commented Sollazzo. "Then we got better as the game went on. I think we finally have gotten over the nerves we had Saturday."

Spring Hill now plays in a winner's bracket at 8 p.m. Monday against Louisiana and Sollazzo says his pitching is looking good in the double-elimination tournament.

"Now I can go with my ace J. T. Simpson on Monday and bring Dante back if we need him. And if we can win, we'll be really sitting pretty."

The Spring Hill skipper added that his club is among a group of six teams who he believes are pretty much equal.

Dixie Youth League
Senior Boys (age 14)
World Series
Scoreboard Recap

08-02:
North Carolina 15, Arkansas 6
Spring Hill 10, Tennessee 4
Texas 8, South Carolina 7
Louisiana 10, Mississippi 8
Alabama 3, Virginia 1
Georgia 10, Newton County, Ga. 3

08-03:
Spring Hill 12, North Carolina 5
Louisiana 11, Texas 7
Georgia 11, Alabama 5
Tennessee 19, Arkansas 6
South Carolina 16, Mississippi 6
Virginia 3, Newton County, Ga. 2

"There are five or six teams here who are basically clones of each other," he said. "We're all pretty even, but if we hit the ball like we have, and our pitching comes through, then we're in the driver's seat.

"If we ever get on all cylinders, I think we're going to be hard to beat."

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