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Hernando Today

Spring Hill Rolls On

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: July 22, 2008

The Spring Hill Dixie Senior Boys (age 14) All-Stars successfully completed a doubleheader sweep Monday night, defeating West Volusia in six innings, 12-2.

Spring Hill (7-1 overall) improved to 3-0 in the State Tournament at MERE Complex in Marianna, having beaten Okeechobee earlier in the day, 7-2.

Spring Hill is now the last undefeated team left in the double-elimination tournament, and faced Messer Park in a game late Tuesday night, while Okeechobee and West Volusia squared off in the loser's bracket.

A win over Messer Park would mean the winner of Okeechobee-West Volusia would have to defeat Spring Hill twice Wednesday to prevent the Hernando County team from claiming the state championship.

If Messer Park won, there would be a three-way tie between Spring Hill, Messer Park and the Okeechobee-West Volusia winner, forcing a doubleheader Wednesday to determine the champion.

"We set out a plan to get to this spot and the kids have accomplished it," Spring Hill Head Coach Mike Sollazzo said. "We have one more game against Messer Park. We're not taking them lightly. We're one game away from going undefeated going into the championship round, which was our goal.

"Once we accomplish that, we'll concentrate on winning one more game."

Sollazzo saved his ace, J.T. Simpson, for the start against West Volusia. Simpson tossed a complete game, striking out nine while giving up three hits and a walk on 88 pitches.

His team staked him to a huge lead early, scoring four times in the first inning and five times in the second to blow it open.

Mike Kodetsky plated the first run on a sacrifice bunt, followed by David Woop's RBI double. Two more runs scored on a combination of errors and passed balls.

Julian Perez added a two-run double in the second, while Ian Townsend and Kodetsky contributed RBI singles and Simpson came in on an error.

Perez plated another run on a single in the third, Woop drove in one on a triple in the fourth and Townsend invoked the 10-run mercy rule on a RBI single in the sixth.

While Spring Hill's top two starters, Simpson and Jon Gaffney, received their mandatory 40-hours rest, Spring Hill attempted to get by Messer Park with the rest of its staff, lining up Gaffney to start Wednesday's first game and Simpson the second game if necessary.

"I'm not overly confident," Sollazzo said. "But I'm expecting things to go our way."

DIXIE YOUTH LEAGUE SENIOR BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT RECAP
at Marianna's MERE Complex

07-19:
West Jackson 7, Okeechobee 0 (Forfeit)
Vernon 14, Bartow 0
Spring Hill 6, Chipley 2
Paxton 6, Messer Park 5
West Volusia 6, Marianna 0

07-20:
Bartow 7, West Jackson 0 (Forfeit)
Messer Park 12, Chipley 2
Okeechobee 14, Vernon 2
West Volusia 11, Paxton 1

07-21:
Messer Park 7, Bartow 5
Marianna 11, Vernon 6
Spring Hill 7, Okeechobee 2
Messer Park 8, Paxton 1
Okeechobee 18, Marianna 7
Spring Hill 12, West Volusia 2 (6 inn.)

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

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