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Hernando Today

The Manor Marvels With 7 In 6th

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: July 13, 2008

RIDGE MANOR It took a number of years and overcoming a 15-game losing streak, but Sunday the Ridge Manor Majors (11- and 12-year-olds) finally ended their losing streak in state tournament play.

Trailing 2-1 going into the final inning, Ridge Manor drew seven consecutive walks and then hung on to beat Wewahitchka 8-6 in a consolation bracket game of the Dixie League Majors State Tournament played at Ridge Manor Park.

The victory sends Ridge Manor into a consolation bracket game tomorrow at 6 p.m. against the loser of Sunday's game between South Lake and Liberty County.

With the win, Ridge Manor broke a losing streak that goes back to its first district game.

"We've never even won a game before in the district," said Ridge Manor coach Scott Ulery Sunday. "We're only in this tournament because we're the host team. I think in the Majors, Ridge Manor has lost all 15 games they've ever played in the state tournament."

Ridge Manor jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Marshall Aske led the game with a walk. He moved up two bases on wild pitches and scored on a ground out by Nate Avalos.

Wewahitchka, which was eliminated from the tourney with the loss, tied the score in the fourth inning when Rashard Ranie led off the inning with a homer to left field.

In the fifth, WeWah took the lead as Tad Gaskin walked, was sacrificed to second by Jonathan Palmer and scored on a single by Wesley Whitfield.

But Ridge Manor surged back in their last at bat as batters drew seven straight walks to go in front. Pete Mobley, Aske and Logan Buckner all walked to load the bases. Then walks to Kayla Carter, Avalos, Austin Sullivan and Casey Gillespie brought in four runs. RM got another run in the inning on a ground out by John Bryant and two more on a single by Aske.

In the sixth, Wewahitchka came back and got four runs. But Whitfield, who drove in two of them with a single, was thrown out trying to make second base to end the game.

"It was some game," Ulery said. "We told them in the sixth not to swing the bat until they had a strike. But in the bottom of the inning, everyone was nervous, but we did win."

Ridge Manor 8, Wewahitchka 6

RM 100 007 -- 8 3 0

WEWAH 000 114 -- 6 6 0

RM - Avalos, Buckner (5) and Carter, Aske (5).

WW - Haddock, Knobel (3), Shiver (6), Ranie (6) and Ranie, Haddock (3).
W - Buckner. L - Knobel.

HR – Ranie (WW).

Records – Ridge Manor (1-1 overall, 1-1 states); Wewahitchka (1-3 overall, 0-2 states).

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