Pulling Extra Duty

NEW PORT RICHEY - There are a couple of things that you can almost count on when watching an early-season prep baseball game: 1. The pitchers will be ahead of the hitters, 2. The fielding will be somewhat shaky, 3. It generally will be a low-scoring affair.

All three of those elements were met Tuesday night as the Nature Coast Technical Sharks won their third straight game to open the season when they downed the Gulf Buccaneers in 12 innings, 3-2.

"We got a great performance out of Silvestri and DeRespiris," said NCT first-year Head Coach Bob Shepard. "Yeah, we were a little shaky in the field but our pitching came through for us."

Nature Coast Technical 3, Gulf 2 (12 innings)
123 456 789 10 11 12 R H E
NCT 001 000 000 0 1 1 -- 3 7 4
GULF 000 010 000 0 1 0 -- 2 6 2
NCT - Silvestri, DeRespiris (8) and Murray.
GULF - Kuoutsonikas, Kaeler (9) and MacLean.
W - DeRespiris (1-0). L - Kaeler (0-1)
2B - Russell (NCT).
3B - Russell (NCT).
HR - none.
Records - Nature Coast Technical (3-0, 2-0 4A-8), Gulf (0-3, 0-2 4A-8).

Silvestri started the game for the Sharks (3-0) and went seven innings, giving up one run on four hits while walking two and striking out 11.

Then DeRespiris came on in relief in the eighth inning and gave up two hits and a run, walking six but striking out four to earn the win.

"That was an important win for us," said Shepard. "It helps to have a No. 2 and No. 3 pitcher who you can count on to come on and get people out for you."

NCT jumped in front early as it scored a run in the third without the benefit of a hit. With one out, Kenny Treverton reached on a fielder's choice, stole second base, moved to third on a balk by Gulf pitcher Anthony Koutsonikas and scored on a wild pitch.

Gulf tied the score in the fifth when Chris Kaeler singled with two outs, stole second and scored on a base hit by Koutsonikas.

It took until the 11th before NCT could get back on the scoreboard when with one out, Mike Adams was hit by a pitch and scored on a triple to the left field corner by Jonathan Russell.

But the Bucs, who now stand at 0-3 on the year, came back to tie the score in the bottom of the 11th when off DeRespiris, Matt Falzarano walked, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Travis Murray.

Matt Phillips followed with a walk and was forced at second on a ground out by Andrew Brouillard. But Thomas Pospisil singled to center to score Falzarano.

However, after DeRespiris loaded the bases by giving up a single to Shane Anderson, he got out of the inning by striking out C. J. Deloges and enticing Sean MacLean to ground out pitcher-to-first to end the inning.

In the 12th, the Sharks again went in front when Treverton reached on an infield hit, stole second and reached third on a ground out. Chris Jones appeared to end the inning when he lofted a lazy fly ball to right, but Gulf's Anderson dropped the ball to allow the run.