Gaither wins Sunshine State Games

Posted Jun 22, 2010 by Adam Adkins

Updated Jun 22, 2010 at 01:51 PM

The Gaither baseball team claimed the gold medal at the 2010 Sunshine State Games, which were held over the weekend at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale.

The Cowboys, representing the Boys and Girls Club of Tampa Bay, went 4-0 in the tournament and knocked off the Palm Beach-based Florida Pokers Navy squad 9-8 in the championship game.

Gaither rising junior first baseman Jose Gonzalez captured tournament MVP honors after going 10-for-16 at the plate with eight extra-base hits. At one point in the tournament Gonzalez hit four consecutive triples (two to close one game and two to start another), according to Gaither coach Frank Permuy.

The Cowboys pitching staff, led by reliever Eric Collier, also performed well, Permuy said.

In other Gaither baseball news, recent graduates Austen Thrailkill and Justin Delgado will continue their playing careers in college.

Thrailkill, a pitcher who went 3-0 with a 5.57 ERA over 11 appearances in 2010, has signed with Illinois Central College, while Delgado, an infielder who hit .442 with 29 runs scored as a senior, is headed to Hillsborough Community College, Permuy said.