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Hernando Today

Spring Hill American Bounces Back

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: June 10, 2008

SPRING HILL - The hitters hit, the pitchers pitched, the defense made plays and the base runners forced the issue.

Last night at Anderson Snow Sports Complex, Spring Hill American didn't look like a team on the verge of elimination from the AA Rookies (ages 7-8) All-Stars District 6 Tournament.

Following a tough 6-4 defeat at the hands of South Lake Saturday afternoon, Spring Hill American found itself in a do-or-die contest versus Sumter.

Every aspect of the game came together for one of the two squads from the host league, as Spring Hill cruised to a 14-3 victory.

"The difference was our bats awoke today," Spring Hill Manager Manny Voda said. "I told the kids, 'do you guys want to play tomorrow or stay home and play video games?' They said they wanted to play tomorrow."

Walks, errors undo Sumter

Pitching two innings apiece, the trio of Braden Day, Harry Collins and Eric Forrest held Sumter to one hit - a single by Josh Melton in the second - while walking six and striking out 11.

Meanwhile, the Spring Hill offense capitalized on Sumter's inability to throw strikes or field a ball cleanly to jump out to an 8-2 advantage without recording a hit.

Sumter issued nine free passes over the first two innings and committed six errors, allowing four runs to score in each frame.

Spring Hill didn't register its first hit until Forrest led off the top of the third with a solid rap over the leftfielder's head. He scooted around the bases and beat the throw home for an inside-the-park home run.

Collins followed by working Spring Hill's 10th walk of the night, then stole three bases to make it 10-2.

Both teams scratched across a run in the fourth and went scoreless in the fifth before Spring Hill finally opened up a double-digit edge in the sixth.

Again, a leadoff inside-the-park homer started the rally, this time off the bat of Matt Voda, who hit a ball that rolled all the way to the wall in right-center.

Forrest singled and also scored, while Day walked with one out and gradually made his way around the bases. Forrest had three of Spring Hill's four hits, going 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored.

"I tell the kids if we lose, we're out," Coach Voda said. "If we want to keep playing let's keep winning and do what we've been practicing for 14 days."

HYL survives

Spring Hill American has another elimination game tonight at 6 p.m. versus Hernando Youth League, which survived its own loser's bracket meeting with Wildwood last night, 13-10.

Hunter Davis went the distance on the mound, keeping HYL alive in the double-elimination tournament after Saturday's 15-7 loss against Wesley Chapel National.

"Hunter was pitching well," HYL Manager Mark Griffith said. "Sometimes when you have a horse running well, you keep running him. He did an outstanding job."

SH American 14, Sumter 3
123 456 R H E
SHA 442 103 --14 4 2
SUM 200 100 -- 3 1 10
SHA – Day, Collins (3), Forrest (5) and Howard, Day (5).
SUM – Connell, Harrell (2), Posey (4) and Barkley.
W – Day (1-1). L – Connell (0-2).
2B – none.
3B – none.
HR – Forrest, Voda (SHA).
Records – Spring Hill American (1-1), Sumter (0-2).

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

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