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Hernando Today

Will Arms Race Decide Matters?

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Assistant coaches Rich Webster (left) and Jim Keith stretch out the Dixie Youth League AAA Majors (ages 11-12) Florida State Championship banner as Spring Hill American Head Coach Shawn Laferty enjoys Hernando County’s first-ever state title in 53 years in this age group at Ridge Manor Community Park. Laferty’s club opens its 12-team World Series in LaGrange, Ga. Monday afternoon against Mississippi.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: August 3, 2008

One could easily surmise that the Hernando County Dixie Youth League baseball team with the most post-season wins (10) this summer - Spring Hill American AAA Majors (ages 11-12) All-Stars - would be a lock to make the finals of this week's 12-team Dixie World Series in LaGrange, Ga.

Not so.

Sure, Head Coach Shawn Laferty's troops have had a terrific summer to date. It's one they'll always cherish.

SH American finished runner-up to South Lake in the rugged District 6 Tournament in Wildwood, but later downed the talented Lake County club 2-of-3 times in the State Championships at Ridge Manor to represent Florida in Monday's opening round of the Dixie World Series.

In the process, Laferty's club improved its hitting from districts (.297) to states (.329) and comes in hitting a collective .315.

Six players are batting .300 or better including Austin Treverton (.500), Josh Lopes (.433), Vito Tambasco (.412), Blake Laferty (.375), Evan Webster (.364) and Matt Rhineberger (.316).

Plus, Treverton, Lopes, Tambasco, Laferty, Webster join Brandon LaMondra in scoring at least 10 runs.

As a team, SH American has almost as many homers (15) as it has doubles (19). Five players have left the yard including Tambasco seven times. He also leads in runs batted in with 19.

Defensively, the club has been equally effective converting 155-of-162 (96 percent) chances at states.

Yet, neither the offense nor the defense have been the main topic of concern prior to the World Series. It's been their pitching.

As a whole, the staff has recorded 85 strikeouts against 37 walks. But it has also permitted 84 hits in 70 innings pitched.

Webster, a southpaw, comes into the Series sporting a team-best 4-0 won-lost slate with 15 Ks in 15 innings.

Steady shortstop Danny Schonborn who was Spring Hill's main pitcher a couple years ago during the State Championships at Mulberry, is a quiet 1-0 with a 4.92 earned run average in 7.1 innings.

The two key members according to Coach Laferty include his son, Blake, and Tambasco.

Both have thrown 21.1 innings to date. They're a combined 5-2 overall with 57 strikeouts against 23 walks and each have a complete game.

So what has this team learned since states?

"If we want to keep playing we have to keep playing smart baseball," explained Coach Laferty. "We're playing great team defense and hopefully, any kid who hasn't hit so far will pick it up.

"At the Series, we have to do everything a little better," he added. "Baseball is a matter of inches. We stress fundamentals every day in practice. That's what ultimately wins games."

Keys in the Series?

"First, we don't need to add any pressure to these kids," pointed out Laferty. "It's still a game. We're treating this as any regular ball game. We tell the kids to prepare like they would any other game.

"What is important is keeping in the same routine we had while we were at home. Getting to bed on time and calming the kids down," said Laferty. "If a player plays video games before the game, let him bring his games to Georgia. The only thing I ask is don't forget why we're there. If nothing else, I'd like the kids to have fun. But don't forget why we're coming."

What's crucial?

"If we make a couple errors I'll call timeout, it's better than having a long inning and getting taken out of a game," shared Coach Laferty. "But we also can't be afraid to do the things we've done to get this far.

"The first game (Monday at 4 p.m. against Mississippi) is crucial," Laferty said. "First games of any tournament always are. I think we have a great club; they've kinda grown up together.

"The simple key for us is our pitching," Laferty frankly stated. "It falls on Vito and Blake's arms. As they go, we go. It's that simple."

SPRING HILL AMERICAN AAA MAJORS STATE STATISTICS
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO

BATTING STATS (thru 6 games @ districts)
NAME GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI .AVG
Lopes 06 12 05 07* 1 0 0 01 .583*
Tambasco 06 14 06* 06 2 0 3* 09* .429
Treverton 06 14 03 06 4* 0 0 01 .429
Schonborn 06 12 02 05 0 0 0 02 .417
Rhineberger 06 05 01 02 0 0 0 02 .400
Laferty 06 15* 03 05 1 0 0 04 .333
Webster 06 13 05 04 1 0 0 00 .308
LaMondra 06 10 06* 02 0 0 0 00 .200
Parfitt 06 06 02 01 0 0 0 00 .167
Keith 06 06 00 00 0 0 0 01 .000
Kreier 06 12 01 00 0 0 0 00 .000
Vazquez 06 09 03 00 0 0 0 00 .000
TOTALS 06 128 37 38 9 0 03 20 .297
* Denotes team leader

BATTING STATS (thru 7 games @ states)
NAME GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI .AVG
Treverton 07 12 10* 07 1 0 4* 09 .583*
Laferty 07 17 10* 07 2* 0 2 05 .412
Tambasco 07 20* 10* 08* 2* 0 4* 10* .400
Webster 07 20* 06 08* 1 0 0 02 .400
LaMondra 07 15 04 05 2* 0 0 04 .333
Lopes 07 18 09 06 1 0 1 04 .333
Rhineberger 07 14 04 04 0 0 0 02 .286
Vazquez 07 14 03 04 1 0 0 06 .286
Parifft 07 05 02 01 0 0 0 00 .200
Keith 07 06 01 01 0 0 1 03 .167
Schonborn 07 15 03 02 0 0 0 02 .133
Feola 07 08 01 01 0 0 0 00 .125
TOTALS 07 164 63 54 10 0 12 47 .329
* Denotes team leader
 
BATTING STATS (thru 13 games)
NAME GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI .AVG
Treverton 13 26 13 13 5* 0 4 10 .500*
Lopes 13 30 14 13 2 0 1 05 .433
Tambasco 13 34* 16* 14* 4 0 7* 19* .412
Laferty 13 32 13 12 3 0 2 09 .375
Webster 13 33 11 12 2 0 0 02 .364
Rhineberger 13 19 05 06 0 0 0 04 .316
LaMondra 13 25 10 07 2 0 0 04 .280
Schonborn 13 27 05 07 0 0 0 04 .259
Parfitt 13 11 04 02 0 0 0 00 .182
Vazquez 13 23 06 04 1 0 0 06 .174
Feola 07 08 01 01 0 0 0 00 .125
Keith 13 12 01 01 0 0 1 04 .083
Kreier 06 12 01 00 0 0 0 00 .000
TOTALS 13 292 100 92 19 0 15 67 .315
* Denotes team leader

PITCHING STAS (thru 13 games)
PLAYER GP GS CG IP H R ER BB KO WL ERA
Tambasco 10* 07* 01* 21.1* 25 16 12 14 26 3 1 3.38
Laferty 07 03 01* 21.1* 15 07 05 09 31* 2 1 1.41*
Webster 08 01 00 15.0 14 09 09 02 15 4*0 3.60
Schonborn 06 01 00 07.1 08 08 06 05 11 1 0 4.92
Kreier 01 00 00 00.2 02 01 01 01 01 0 0 8.96
Treverton 01 00 00 01.2 04 04 03 04 00 0 1 10.78
Keith 02 00 00 01.2 09 09 07 02 00 0 0 25.1
Lopes 01 00 00 00.2 07 05 05 00 01 0 0 44.78
Parfitt 01 00 00 00.1 00 00 00 00 00 0 0 0.00
TOTALS 13 12 02 70.0 84 59 48 37 85 10 3 4.11
* Denotes team leader
 

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at (352) 544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com.

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