A second helping

RIDGE MANOR Any time two county programs clash it's a big deal locally.
The ante goes up when the two teams - especially Spring Hill National and Hernando - are unbeaten and clash in the winner's bracket of the Dixie Youth League District 6 AAA Minors (ages 9-10) Baseball Tournament at Ridge Manor Community Park.
Typically, local fans have filled the stands and are lined elbow-to-elbow along each fence line to get a glimpse.
Such was the case during the continuation of Wednesday's rain-delayed third round of the week-long, 12-team event in East Hernando County.
The fans in attendance - and maybe another looking down from the heavens - were treated to a dominating performance by tournament-favorite Hernando.
HYL right-hander Price Sartor hurled an absolute gem against Spring Hill National, recording his team's second no-hitter in five days as the Brooksville club climbed to 3-0 behind a overwhelming 11-1 win cut short by the 10-run mercy rule in the bottom of the fourth.
Sartor rules
How dominant was Sartor?
Consider he twirled a four-inning no-hitter recording every out. Yes, every out. He fanned 12 batters, including every Spring Hill National batter.
Behind a mixture of fastballs and change-ups, Sartor fanned 10 batters in a row.
He issued one walk - a leadoff free pass to Cameron Sereda.
With one out in the first, SH National's dangerous Luke Laferty popped up to second sacker Joey Delgatto for what appeared to be the routine second out. Instead, Delgatto muffed the ball - HYL's first of two miscues on the night - for a two-base error, placing runners at second and third.
After fanning Dominic Marrone, Sartor uncorked a wild pitch allowing the fleet-footed Sereda to score.
That brief 1-0 cushion served as National's first and only highlight.
From there on out, Sartor painted the black. He retired everyone else until Bodhi Sbashnig reached on a two-out error. Fittingly, sartor fanned Laferty, who had six hits in two games, looking at a called third strike to end his night.
Spring Hill National Head Coach Luke Laferty made no qualms about the difference in the game.
"There is no doubt Price (Sartor) is the best pitcher in the tournament," insisted Coach Laferty, who guided Spring Hill's AAA Majors to the state championship last summer at Ridge Manor. "He might be the best kid, too. He's a nice boy. He can do it all.
"Tonight, all they really needed was a pitcher and catcher," shrugged Laferty. "We didn't do anything offensively and that's because of Price. And we didn't play well defensively."
What next for 2-1 Spring Hill National?
"We all know Price (Sartor) is Hernando's best guy, so we come back and regroup," Laferty said. "No matter what happened tonight, I think we'll be alright."
From the home dugout, HYL skipper Bruce Price beamed at the mention of Sartor's name.
"I've coached the kid for four years. I've told everyone, he's a great athlete and a great kid to coach," Price said. "Tonight, he threw 60 pitches, most of them were strikes."
Was this Sartor's best-ever game?
"It was pretty close to the top," replied Coach Price. "He just completely shut them down."
Biggest positive?
"We had contributions from everybody on this team," Price indicated. "Sure, Price (Sartor) did his job, but everyone else chipped in. I loved the effort and the enthusiasm."
Helping hand
Sartor had plenty of support.
HYL lashed eight hits - oddly enough from eight different players.
Ninth-place hitter Dylan McMahon typified the all-around team effort with a key RBI double to left-center to plate Skylar Coleman in a three-run second inning off Marrone (0-1).
Ex-Spring Hill All-Star Ryan Nigro crushed a two-run double to right-center in the third frame off National's second pitcher, Sbashnig, 6-1 HYL.
In a turn-out-the-lights, five-run, fourth-inning uprising against Sbashnig and Jeycriss Delarosa, Delgatto redeemed himself with a two-run single, Coleman added a run-scoring fielder's choice and Scotty Bierwiler chipped in a two-run single.
Spring Hill National never had an answer for HYL's pesky leadoff batter, D.J. Orlando. Orlando reached base three times and scored a game-high three runs.
"This was a big win," summed up the 11-year-old Orlando, who finished 1-for-2, plus a walk. "We had to win to reach the next level. Price (Sartor) was amazing tonight. The big thing was we came out swinging the bats."
"I was all excited about tonight," gushed the 10-year-old Sartor. "All my friends play for Spring Hill and I knew we needed the win."
What was the key?
"Offensively, we came out swinging and got on their pitchers," replied Sartor.
Another contributor was Bierwiler.
One would think that he would be playing with a heavy heart since his father, Hernando County Sherriff's Office Captain Scott Bierwiler, was tragically killed in an automobile accident this spring.
Instead, he has quietly been efficient.
On Saturday, he went 2-for-3 including a double and three RBI while Monday night, he finished 1-for-4 with a walk.
On Wednesday, he tied matters with a sacrifice fly plating Orlando in the bottom of the first, walked and was stranded at third in the third, and punched a two-run triple in the fourth.
"Price (Sartor) was on fire tonight," smiled the 10-year-old Bierwiler. "Tonight was a big game because Spring Hill is usually thought of as one of the best teams. We had to win tonight."
Though perhaps his father was not along the fence, what's Bierwiler's motivation?
"My father gave us good luck to win," said Bierwiler with a tear tracing down his face. "He was here. I'm playing for him and my teammates."
Perhaps Coach Price summed up Bierwiler's efforts in defense of Sartor, "He's been a factor in every game. Even though you didn't see his dad, he's looking upon us."

Hernando 11, Spring Hill National 1 (4 Innings)
123 4 R H E
SHH 100 0 -- 1 0 2
HER 132 5 -- 11 8 2
SHN - Marrone, Sbashnig (3), Delarosa (4) and Laferty.
HER - Sartor and Vidal.
W - Sartor (2-0). L - Marrone (0-1).
2B - McMahon, Delgatto (HER).
Records - Spring Hill National (2-1), Hernando (3-0).