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Hernando Today

Wild Night

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: June 12, 2008

SPRING HILL - It seemed appropriate that the game ended on a wild pitch.

Any tapes of last night's AA Rookies (ages 7-8) All-Stars District 6 Tournament elimination contest between Spring Hill National and Hernando Youth League certainly won't head to the Hall of Fame.

Through two and a half innings, 25 runs had scored and 48 batters had come to the plate, 21 of which reached by either a walk or hit batter.

Add in a combined nine errors and wild pitch or passed balls too numerous to count, and there was a recipe for an ugly game.

Finally Chris Cesiro restored some order, holding Hernando scoreless in the top of the fourth, allowing Spring Hill to score eight times in the bottom half.

Cesiro scored all the way from second on a wild pitch to invoke the 10-run mercy rule and clinch his team's 22-12 victory.

"They did not play to their potential," Spring Hill Manager Frank Pastorelli said. "They actually played better in the loss to Bushnell (on Monday), but we were fortunate enough to get it done.

"...I think it was Chris buckling down on the mound, getting out of the inning without any runs, that built confidence for our team and we just got the bats going."

HYL rallies

Despite scoring twice in the top of the first, Hernando (2-2) put itself in a huge early hole yielding nine runs in the bottom of the first.

Frank Pastorelli Jr. smacked a pitch above his head over the head of the centerfielder for a two-run triple, the only hit of the inning for Spring Hill (2-1), which took advantage of eight walks and a hit batter.

However, Hernando nearly climbed all the way back, inching within 13-12 when Wyatt Stewart pulled a grounder through the right side for a two-run single in the third.

In the bottom of that inning, Stewart made three putouts at first base, yet Spring Hill managed to tack on a run thanks to Brandon Frangione's inside-the-park home run to left.

Cesiro, who struck out three batters to get out of the third, retired the first batter he faced in the fourth on a comebacker, and then struck out two more around a walk.

Perhaps buoyed by that pitching performance, Spring Hill batted around while scoring eight times. Five walks and four errors, plus a RBI single off the bat of Pastorelli accounted for the damage.

That sent Spring Hill into today's semifinal round, against the winner of last night's late game between South Lake and Bushnell.

"If we play like this (tonight), we're not going to win," Coach Pastorelli said. "Hopefully this was just a bad game. They'll shake it off and get back to normal."

Ridge Manor eliminated

Ridge Manor's most successful run through the district at this age level came to a close with last night's 17-2 loss against Wesley Chapel National in 3 1/2 innings.

Ridge Manor finished 2-2 for the first time, both wins coming when Christopher Griffin tossed complete games. In the two losses, with Griffin unavailable, Ridge Manor was out-scored a combined 41-2.

"It's nice that the team can leave here at a .500 record," Ridge Manor Manager Bryan Griffin said. "We didn't win it but we left on an even par.

"I'm happy with the team. I really think we had the team to go further if we had a little better pitching."

SH National 22, Hernando 12 (4 inn.)
123 4 R H E
HYL 255 0 -- 12 5 8
SHN 941 8 -- 22 4 5
HYL – Sims, Davis (4) and Wilson.
SHN – Olasin, Frangione (2), Cesiro (3) and Smith, Kirkpatrick (3).
W – Olasin (1-0). L – Sims (0-1).
2B – none.
3B – Pastorelli (SHN).
HR – Frangione (SHN).
Records – Hernando (2-2), Spring Hill National (2-1).

DIXIE YOUTH LEAGUE AA ROOKIES (AGES 7-8) ALL-STARS
DISTRICT 6 RECAP
at Anderson Snow Sports Complex

06-07
Ridge Manor 13, Sumter 3 (4 inn.)
South Lake 6, Spring Hill American 4
Wesley Chapel National 15, Hernando 7
Spring Hill National 7, Wesley Chapel American 3
Bushnell 16, Wildwood 2

06-09
SH American 14, Sumter 3
Hernando 13, Wildwood 10
South Lake 24, Ridge Manor 0 (4 inn.)
Bushnell 4, SH National 3

06-10
SH American 10, Hernando 8
Ridge Manor 9, WC American 8
South Lake 7, Wesley Chapel National 0

06-11
Wesley Chapel National 17, Ridge Manor 2 (3 1/2 inn.)
SH National 22, Hernando 12 (4 inn.)
South Lake 9, Bushnell 3

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

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