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Hernando Today

The Journey Continues

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: July 5, 2008

The flag still hangs at Anderson Snow Sports Complex, signifying the greatest team accomplishment in Spring Hill Dixie League history.

In 2005 Spring Hill National won the league's first and only state championship at the AAA Minors (ages 9-10) All-Stars age level.

Three years later, Spring Hill American hopes to add another pennant to its home park. Today at noon, Spring Hill American faces Poinciana in a first-round contest of the State Tournament.

The double-elimination event will take place at Aldine Combee Park in Lakeland, featuring 12 teams playing for a berth in the Aug. 4 World Series in LaGrange, Ga.

Coached by Al Sorrentino, Spring Hill American features Dante Hamilton, Brett Krieger, Jake Murray, Matt Myers, Devon Nicolini, Joshua Penney, Liam Radecki, Marianne Sparacia, Thomas Sorrentino, Zachary Sorrentino, Michael Tinari and Matt Warner.

Spring Hill American advanced this far after winning the District 6 championship on June 23.

"They're all very excited," Coach Sorrentino said. "We talked about going there not to say we're just going to the State Tournament. We want to go there to win the State Tournament.

"...We talked to the boys, it's a great thing that they won districts. Be proud, but that's only one step in the journey. We'd really like to win states and go to Georgia."

Touching up

Spring Hill American went 6-1 in the tournament, hitting .410 as a team paced by Devon Nicolini who hit .667 with a home run and 11 runs batted in.

The offense tallied 69 runs while the pitching staff held opponents to just 20, a 2.39 earned run average across 41 innings.

Dante Hamilton led the team on the mound, going 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA, striking out 14 in 12 innings. Joshua Penney also whiffed 14 batters, in 11 frames, and posted a 1.27 ERA.

"We played very well I think," Sorrentino said. "The whole district tournament we walked four or five people (seven) in seven games.

"Defensively we were pretty good. We hit the ball enough to score the runs we needed to score.

"We're just touching upon a few things we made mistakes on and continuing to work on the fundamentals."

Sorrentino had no information on any teams in the field aside from South Lake, the runner-up in District 6.

"Any game we play, they're all good teams," the coach said. "We're assuming everybody is just as good as us or better. We know we need to play our best.

"I think they'll handle it fine. One thing about our kids, whether they're ahead or behind they kept their composure. They were ready for the next opportunity to make-up for it and usually came through."

The team should have plenty of belief in itself following its district performance as it tries to make some more league history for this age level.

"I can really see the confidence blossoming," Sorrentino said. "They're ready to go into this tournament and show what they can do."

SPRING HILL AMERICAN AAA MINORS STATISTICS (thru 07-04)
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO
BATTING STATS (thru 7 games)
NAME GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI .AVG
Nicolini 07 18 08 12* 2 0 1* 11* .667*
Sorrentino, T. 07 16 06 09 2 0 0 05 .563
Warner 07 20 06 08 2 0 0 08 .545
Myers 07 21 12* 11 4* 0 0 10 .524
Krieger 07 15 04 07 1 0 0 06 .467
Hamilton 07 24* 11 10 2 0 0 04 .417
Penney 07 19 08 07 2 0 1* 08 .368
Sorrentino, Z. 07 19 02 05 0 0 0 03 .263
Murray 07 08 04 02 1 0 0 02 .250
Sparacia 07 09 03 02 0 0 0 00 .222
Tinari 07 10 03 02 0 0 0 00 .200
Radecki 07 04 02 00 0 0 0 00 .000
TOTALS 07 183 69 75 16 0 2 57 .410
* Denotes team leader

PITCHING STATS (thru 7 games)
PLAYER GP GS CG IP H R ER BB KO W L ERA
Nicolini 01 00 00 1.0 01 0 0 0 00 0 0 0.00
Sparacia 01 00 00 2.0 02 0 0 0 02 0 0 0.00
Warner 03 01 00 6.0 08 0 0 2 10 0 0 0.00
Penney 06* 00 00 11.0 13* 4 2 1 14* 0 0 1.27
Hamilton 05 05* 00 12.0* 13* 7 4 3 14* 4* 0 2.33
Sorrentino, T. 04 00 00 6.0 12 5 4 1 05 1 1 4.67
Myers 03 01 00 3.0 10 4 4 0 06 1 0 9.33
TOTALS 07 07 00 41.0 59 20 14 7 51 6 1 2.39
* Denotes team leader

Coming Attractions
WHAT: 2008 Dixie AAA Minors (ages 9-10) All-Stars State Tournament
WHO: Calhoun County, Chipley, East Lakeland, Panama City Beach, Poinciana, Okeechobee American, Sebring, South Lake, Spring Hill American, West Seminole and Wewahitchka.
WHEN: July 5-10
WHERE: Aldine Combee Ballpark in East Lakeland.
AT STAKE: State championship and berth in Aug. 4 World Series in LaGrange, Ga.
DIRECTIONS: Take U.S. Highway 98 south all the way to the Lakeland area. Turn left on East Memorial Boulevard (U.S. Highway 92 East). Turn left on Fish Hatchery Road. The park is located at 1140 Fish Hatchery Road.

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

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