Pulling Together On The Fly

For a team thrown together, a mishmash of talent drawn from three of the county's public high schools, the last thing the Hernando Pre-Majors (ages 14-17) All-Stars needed was a bunch of rained-out practices.

Unfortunately for the local squad, led by Springstead High Head Coach Frank Vitale, it had to endure such wet weather as it prepared for the State Tournament beginning today at Chipley High.

The six-team, double-elimination event features host Chipley as well as Hernando, Marion County, Sebring, Sneads and West Volusia. Hernando opens with Sneads at 3:30 p.m.

The roster features Brett Maggard, Seton McNulty, Ryan Clark, J.R. Wright, Patrick Dwyer and James Desmond from Springstead, Justin Gates, Cody Caltegerone, Preston Royal, Austin Rollins and Robert Stanley from Hernando High, and Brian Bradshaw and Eddie Castro from Nature Coast Technical.

"We had two back-to-back days rained out," Vitale said. "We've had a little problem early with kids that were selected and couldn't commit. To be honest I don't know what we've got.

"It's pretty hard to come together in six practices. We do have some talent. We've got pitching, that always helps. That should keep us in games."

Varsity experience

Hernando sports four hurlers with varsity experience: Maggard, Dwyer, McNulty and Gates.

As a freshman for the Eagles, the lefty Maggard immediately became the team's big-game pitcher, going 3-3 with a 2.74 earned run average and 50 strikeouts in 46 innings.

Gates had a more limited role on the Hernando staff, throwing 6.1 innings across four games, compiling a 3.32 ERA with no decisions.

Dwyer threw in five games for Springstead in 2007, but missed all of this past season with an injury. McNulty threw 21 innings in five games two years ago, including a complete game, going 2-1 with a 3.67 ERA. He was ineligible to play last season.

Wright, also listed as a pitcher, played in seven games as a freshman for the Eagles but did not pitch. Caltegerone and Stanley round of the staff, though neither has advanced beyond junior varsity.

"We should be OK with pitching," Vitale said. "I think we'll be OK defensively. I don't know how much hitting we'll have. But we're going to scrimmage against the older boys (Hernando Majors). That will give me a better idea of how they swing against live pitching."

Vitale admits to knowing little about the non-Springstead players, especially since almost all of them come off junior varsity rosters.

The veteran coach plans to pack as many into each car as possible on the trip up, then will pair up players who don't know one another when assigning hotel rooms, all in the name of building cohesiveness.

"It's a quiet bunch, which worries me," Vitale said. "I believe you have to come together as a team before you go out and play as a team. These kids are used to playing against each other. Now they're playing with each other."

In 2005, Hernando won the state championship, and reached the title game in 2006. Last year with Vitale at the helm, Hernando tied for third. Lakeland defeated Avon Park for the crown.

The winner of this year's State Tournament advances to the World Series in Dyersburg, Tenn. starting July 26.

"In the past, Pre-Majors teams have done well in this tournament," Vitale said. "This year, we have good talent. One thing that does hurt is Little League All-Stars is going on too. Little League All-Stars takes away some of the better players in our county.

"I think the only thing that makes it successful is if we win the State Tournament. We were competitive last year. I think this year we have better pitching but last year we had a lot better hitting."