TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

Believe It! Bears Are 3-0

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: February 22, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - In 24 games last season, Central High managed three wins. In three games this year, the Bears have already matched that output.

In their first season under new coach Mike Ellison, Central improved to 3-0 on a chilly Tuesday night with a non-district home victory over Lecanto High, 2-1.

"We're having a good time playing baseball," Ellison said. "They're finding out when they win a couple of games, they feel pretty good about themselves.

"...Their attitude is they want to play. They want to go out there and compete. They're scraping the grass, taking care of the bullpen, taking care of the field. They're starting to enjoy the game."

Though in his first year at the helm, Ellison knows all about the highs and lows experienced by this program.

He served as an assistant when Gary Buel led the Bears to four straight regional appearances from 1999-2002. He returned to the bench under Dan O'Rourke last season.

In between he guided Hernando Christian Academy's team through its entrance into FHSAA, leading the Lions to regionals in each of his two seasons there.

His current squad looked sharp, capturing a crisply played pitcher's duel in which the two teams combined for only six hits.

Garrity stars

Junior Ryan Garrity made his first career varsity start on the mound, and notched his initial prep win.

The lefthander tossed six solid innings, allowing just one earned run on two hits and three walks. He struck out seven.

"Our defense played phenomenal. All the outfielders, all the infielders were just excellent," Garrity said. "My curveball was definitely the pitch of choice. It was catching hitters off-balance, changing speeds, location.

"...All off-season we worked on the little things. We worked on the little things and that's what's making us successful so far."

He did indeed receive support from his teammates in the field. Shortstop Mike Ogren made a nice stop on a grounder and a strong throw to first to retire Lecanto (1-3) leadoff man Jon Barr to start the game.

The defensive highlight came courtesy of rightfielder Kevin Gibbemeyer, who made a nice diving catch on Sean Meseroll's sinking fly leading off the top of the fifth.

The Panthers stranded a runner in scoring position each of the first four innings, and in the bottom of the fourth Central finally made them pay.

Sal DeFranco doubled to left field after the umpire ruled he had leaned into a pitch that had hit him. Robby Taylor followed with an infield single to the right of the mound that eluded Lecanto pitcher Devin Webber.

Jason Polovich walked to load the bases with none out. Cam Kick's grounder to second went for a run-scoring fielder's choice.

The second run scored when Kick broke for second, then stopped halfway through, drawing a throw that allowed Taylor to come across on a delayed double steal.

Lecanto pulled within one in the sixth on its own steal of home. Brian Aleman singled, went to second on a balk and stole third before Garrity struck out the next two batters.

Aleman raced home on a failed bunt attempt by Mike Scales, but the Panthers couldn't scratch out any more runs against Garrity or Matt Osborn, who closed out the seventh with two strikeouts.

"They made some great plays and we didn't make routine plays," said Lecanto assistant coach David Logue, filling in for absent Head Coach Jim Manos. "That was pretty much it.

"Neither team hit very well. They made great plays out in the field and we didn't make the plays we should have made."

While the hot start seems to have buoyed the Bears' spirits, none of their wins to this point have come in Class 5A, District 7 play. Their first district challenge arrives today versus Land O' Lakes High.

"We have to be competitive against Land O'Lakes, Ridgewood and River Ridge," Ellison said. "Pasco County schools have a tendency to beat us up around here and we need to compete against them. If we want to get to the next level, we need to compete with them.

"It's so early in the season, if we just play a good game with Land O' Lakes, we're ahead. We've still got a lot of work to do."

CENTRAL 2, LECANTO 1
123 456 7 R H E
LEC 000 001 0 -- 1 2 1
CEN 000 200 X-- 2 4 1
LEC – Webber, Aleman (5) and Ennis.
CEN – Garrity, Osborn (7) and Kick.
W – Garrity (1-0). L – Webber (0-1). S – Osborn (1).
2B – DeFranco (CEN).
3B – none.
HR – none.
Records – Lecanto (1-3), Central (3-0).

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or online at cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT