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Ruling leaves more questions than answers

Controversial call is overturned, knocking Spring Hill National out of District 6 Tournament and reinstating South Lake

Hernando Today photo by CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Spring Hill National Head Coach Al Sorrentino's team was stripped of Tuesday's win over South Lake.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: July 3, 2009

The Dixie AAA Majors (ages 11-12) All-Stars District 6 Tournament took a shocking turn Friday afternoon, hours before the semifinal action scheduled at Anderson Snow Sports Complex.

Dixie Youth Commissioner Wes Skelton, in conjunction with the organization's rules committee, overturned a controversial call made in Tuesday night's elimination game between Spring Hill National and South Lake.

As a result, South Lake took Spring Hill National's place in Friday night's semifinal versus San Antonio.

"I am shocked that it took two-and-a-half days to come down with this when the appeals process should have been done immediately," Spring Hill Dixie League Director Jim Keith said. "It's been hard. It's been a hard day."

The ruling left people on the Spring Hill side grasping for answers and scratching their heads over a decision with many loose ends.

This situation goes back to late Tuesday, when a South Lake player hit a home run in the top of the seventh inning, scoring the go-ahead run in the first extra frame.

According to Spring Hill National Head Coach Al Sorrentino, the player leapt over home plate in celebration, then was pushed back by his teammates so that he could touch the base.

Sorrentino alerted the umpire, who concurred and called the South Lake player out.

Following an hour-long delay to clear up South Lake's protest, Thomas Sorrentino's eighth-inning walk-off solo homer gave Spring Hill National a 6-5 win.

South Lake did not go quietly, however, successfully appealing to Dixie's highest authority and claiming a belated victory.

Yet the tournament had continued without the Groveland-based club, including Spring Hill National's 11-1 triumph Thursday over Oak Griner that still stands.

Additionally, South Lake will have the advantage of a fresh pitching staff having not played in three days. Dixie rules limit the amount of innings a pitcher can throw within a certain amount of hours and for an entire tournament.

Furthermore, such an appeal actually violates Section XI, Sub-section D of the Dixie Youth tournament rules, which states, "After the completion of a game there shall be no protest regardless of the circumstances involved with the exception of a protest on eligibility…"

Attempts to reach Skelton by phone and e-mail were unsuccessful.

Both Keith and Sorrentino were among those who spoke with Skelton as the issue was discussed for several hours Friday afternoon.

"He didn't have a lot of definitive, straight answers," said Sorrentino, describing the call as civil. "He hesitated quite a bit and several times didn't have a clear answer."

Sorrentino wondered why the game against South Lake wasn't continued from the point of the overturned call, giving his team a chance to bat in the bottom of the seventh.

The bottom of the Spring Hill National batting order came to the plate in that inning, and Sorrentino said he would have managed differently if his team was behind rather than tied.

"I would have had my eighth batter lay a bunt down so we could score one run to tie the game," Sorrentino said. "When I thought it was tied, I said go ahead and swing away and see what happens."

According to Keith, Skelton explained that since Spring Hill National did not score in the bottom of the seventh, "that's what they're going by."

Neither Keith nor Sorrentino believed there was anything left to be done, as Skelton is the highest official within the Dixie Youth organization.

Sorrentino continued to defend his actions, believing he could not simply allow his team to lose. He took exception to South Lake Head Coach Manny Mendoza's comments that he was "classless."

He called Tuesday's experience once of the worst of his life, saying several South Lake supporters lined the fence and taunted him when he came out to coach third base after the reversed home run.

"I'm sure South Lake people are saying 'now you know how it feels' but our kids don't understand," Sorrentino said. "Our kids did not break any rules. A rule was broken and basically we're having to pay for it.

"Calling me classless? Who's doing all these little things to try to win a game?"

South Lake lost to San Antonio Friday night 11-9 officially eliminating it from the tournament.

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

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