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Hernando Today

Unexpected Return To The Top

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Spring Hill American southpaw Evan Webster is 4-0 in the postseason.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: July 25, 2008

State Championships do not occur every day.

Just the opposite. It's like watching the Tampa Bay Rays complete a winning season - it's rare air. So, enjoy the view.

Last week's grueling 53rd annual Dixie Youth League AAA Majors (ages 11-12) Baseball State Championship Tournament at Ridge Manor Community Park had several noteworthy performances.

First and foremost, kudos to Ridge Manor's Dixie Director Troy Thompson for running a smooth and efficient tournament.

Despite Mother Nature impinging on opening day and completely raining out July 16's schedule, 23 games were successfully completed in seven days (really, six days).

The overwhelming reason was the terrific grounds crew help from the Hernando County Parks and Recreation Department personnel and a sea of yellow T-Shirted staff members.

There's always strength in numbers. From parking cars the first day, to running the overflow concession stands, to lining the fields, to covering the infields - Thompson had plenty of support.

Ridge Manor's venture into running big-time tournaments in its tiny backyard should be given an A+.

Perhaps as important, a local team - Spring Hill American - did what few thought was possible, win a state title.

And what's truly remarkable on paper is the West Hernando County team wasn't supposed to be there.

A little boost

An odd bit of fortune lifted the Spring Hill American team from its bridesmaid's status to the altar.

Here's how.

On the field, Head Coach Shawn Laferty's team took home second place in June 21-29's District 6 Tournament in Wildwood. It posted a respectable 4-2 won-lost slate, but was tattooed twice by eventual District 6 Champion South Lake, 15-3 and 11-3.

Off the field, Dixie officials faced a bit of a dilemma. The District 6 champ received an automatic bid to fill the state's 12-team format.

And since host Ridge Manor hails from District 6, that district was already represented twice at states.

But since District 5 only had two teams in its AAA Majors division, was it fair for its runner-up team to also advance to states?

While at Wildwood's Millennium Park, Dixie officials decided in the 11th hour to permit the second-place team from District 6 to also qualify for states.

That ruling eventually allowed Spring Hill American into the show.

Ironically, it's not the first time Dixie officials have made that call.

In 2005, Dixie officials made an unprecedented move and permitted three teams from District 6's AAA Minors (ages 9-10) to advance to states in Okeechobee.

That particular Spring Hill National team was guided by David Smith.

Oddly enough, Smith's team dropped its first game at states and then ran the table capturing seven in a row...and Spring Hill's first-ever state championship.

It was the first and only time in 53 years a Dixie Youth League third-place team in districts had ever captured a state title.

Like this year's brothers, they too were not supposed to be there.

Deja vu?

Thanks to being in the most competitive district in the state, however, SH American was easily prepared this past week with what awaited it at states.

It mowed down five straight opponents including South Lake on July 14, 8-5.

Needing only one precious win last Friday, South Lake Head Coach Mike Padgett sent his ace Danny Gonzalez on the hill versus Spring Hill.

SH American countered with its most consistent post-season pitcher, right-hander Blake Laferty. Laferty finished the tourney with a team-best 1.41 earned run average behind 31 strikeouts against nine walks.

For five innings the scoreboard was tied.

Gonzalez, however, untied matters with a 1-out, solo homer off Laferty in the sixth pacing Lake County's pulsating 4-3 triumph. South Lake right-hander Matt Garner twirled five innings of gutsy relief behind Gonzalez. The breaking ball specialist Garner handcuffed a SH American team that hit a collective .315 average this summer to three hits.

South Lake's win forced a winner-take-all seventh game between both teams.

In the second game late Friday night, SH American's Vito Tambasco earned a rare complete game win, scattering eight South Lake singles.

Tambasco helped himself going 2-for-3 at the dish with two homers and three RBI - his sixth and seventh home runs of the postseason - off Gonzalez and reliever Adan Ordonez pacing a 5-4 SH American win.

Several heroes

Stout pitching and steady defense are paramount to titles.

Defensively, SH American did its share converting 155-of-162 chances or 96 percent.

Maybe that's why catcher Austin Treverton permitted one stolen base in seven games.

Infielders Evan Webster, Danny Schonborn, Brandon LaMondra, Laferty and Tambasco (when they weren't pitching), were the main stalwarts.

On the mound, the southpaw Webster heads to the Aug. 4 Dixie World Series in LaGrange, Ga., with a perfect 4-0 slate. He's notched 15 strikeouts in 15 innings. Most importantly, he dealt two free passes this postseason.

Laferty and Tambasco have both pitched a team-high 21.1 innings combining for a 5-2 mark.

Coach Laferty also has some flexibility as six others have toed the rubber for the state champs.

Offensively, SH American, which hit .297 in districts, improved to .329 at states.

Along the way, SH American went from three homers at Millennium Park to 12 bombs blasted at Ridge Manor.

Six batters have hit over .300 this summer including Treverton (.500), Josh Lopes (.433), Tambasco (.412), Laferty (.375), Webster (.364) and Matt Rhineberger (.316).

Very quietly at states, Webster, in the demanding No. 2 hole, hit safely in all seven games.

Tambasco, who clubbed four homers and two doubles at Ridge Manor, hit safely in six games driving in a team-high 10 RBI. He has a team-best 19 RBI heading to the Dixie World Series.

Not bad for a team that shouldn't have been there, eh?

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at (352) 544-5278 or online at

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