Wiregrass Ranch baseball brothers, Zach and Austin Drury, commit to North Florida

Posted Jun 3, 2013 by Mike Camunas

Updated Jun 3, 2013 at 08:19 PM

The University of North Florida just got some brotherly love as Wiregrass Ranch baseball coach Jeff Swymer told the Tampa Tribune on Monday evening that both Austin and Zach Drury have verbally committed to play for the Ospreys.

“They locked them both up,” Swymer told the Tribune. “They really liked Zach and what he has and then they really liked Austin, too, so they went ahead and offered both of them. ... They basically offered as much as they could that’s as close to a full ride for playing baseball.”

The Drury brothers helped lead the Bulls (19-10) to the program’s first postseason appearance as the Class 7A-District 9 runner up, but also to the Bulls’ first region final berth after upsetting district foe and then nationally-ranked Steinbrenner.

Zach, a junior pitcher and infielder, was 8-5 with a 1.75 ERA and 97 strikeouts and named to the Tribune‘s All-Pasco County Baseball First Team and an Sunshine Athletic Conference selection. Zach batted .362 with 22 RBI and two homers.

Austin, a sophomore outfielder and pitcher, made 14 relief appearances and notched three saves while batting .344 with 25 runs scored, 31 hits, 14 RBI and two homers. Austin was also named to the Tribune‘s All-Pasco County Baseball First Team and an SAC selection.

While the Drury brothers have pledged to UNF, which, this past season, went 40-19, the most wins in the program’s Division I history, its a non-binding agreement until the two sign a letter of intent. However, both brothers have been projected to be drafted, including scouts saying Zach could go in rounds anywhere from 11-25.

Correspondent Mike Camunas can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or follow him on Twitter @MikeCamunas.

Mitchell ace Cobi Johnson to play in Under Amour Baseball Game

Posted May 30, 2013 by Mike Camunas

Updated May 30, 2013 at 10:55 AM

Mitchell ace Cobi Johnson will get to play on historic baseball grounds.

That’s because the Mustangs junior and Florida State commit has accepted an invitation to play in the 2013 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game, Johnson said via Twitter on Thursday morning.

“Just accepted my invite to be an Under Armour All American! Thanks for the support along the way,” Johnson tweeted.

Powered by Baseball Factory, the game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT on Aug. 24 and will air live on MLB Network. The game will be played on the Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field for the sixth consecutive year this summer.

Johnson, a 6-foot-4 catcher, infielder and pitcher, was recently named Sunshine Athletic Conference Baseball Player of the Year after helping lead the Mustangs (24-6) to the program’s first region final that it eventually lost to King.

Johnson was both stellar at the plate and on the mound for the Mustangs, batting .426 with 43 hits, 41 runs scored, 34 RBI, 16 doubles and two homers and going 10-2 with 1.68 ERA and 103 strikeouts as a pitcher.

Correspondent Mike Camunas can be reached .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or follow him on Twitter @MikeCamunas.

Pasco WR Nate Craig (2016) up to 15 Division I offers

Posted May 22, 2013 by Mike Camunas

Updated May 22, 2013 at 12:05 PM

A star keeps rising higher in Dade City, as Pasco sophomore wide receiver and defensive back Nate Craig has now collected 15 collegiate offers.

On Wednesday, Craig, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound specimen, picked up offers from Indiana and Georgia Tech, Pirates defensive backs coach Chad Hatfield tweeted.

Craig, who had just 18 catches for 299 yards and seven touchdowns in 2012, plus four interceptions at safety, also has offers from Texas Tech, UMass, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Clemson, Tennessee, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Wisconsin and Ole Miss.

Craig will most likely be on display Thursday, as Pasco travels to rival Land O’ Lakes at 7 p.m. for the teams’ spring game.

Correspondent Mike Camunas can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or follow him on Twitter @MikeCamunas.

Tampa Bay softball players honored by FACA

Posted May 22, 2013 by Nick Williams

Updated May 22, 2013 at 11:08 AM

Here are the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Softball District Players of the Year for Hillsborough and Pasco County:. To be nominated for the award, the athlete’s coach is typically a member of FACA.

Hillsborough County

Class 2A: Alea White, Cambridge Christian
3A: Tiffani Linville, Seffner Christian
4A: Kristin Hoover, Berkeley Prep
5A: Alexis Jackson, Robinson
6A: Chelsea Armstrong, Sickles
7A: Lindsey Hagberg, Chamberlain,
8A: Paige Davis, Durant

Pasco
Class 2A: Lauren Evans, Academy at the Lakes

Pasco baseball players Blaine Duncan, Matt Plourde headed to Barry, Daytona State respectively

Posted May 21, 2013 by Mike Camunas

Updated May 21, 2013 at 08:40 PM

Pasco senior ace Blaine Duncan is taking his talents to South Beach after verbally committing to Barry University, Pirates baseball coach Pat Fortunato told the Tampa Tribune via text Tuesday evening.

Fortunato added senior catcher Matt Plourde has signed to play for Daytona State.

Duncan, a six-foot southpaw, was one of the county’s top pitchers this season, going 7-1 with a 1.09 ERA and 100 strikeouts that got him named third-team Sunshine Athletic Conference.

Plourde drove in 22 RBI with a .256 batting average, but was key by catching all 29 games in full for the Pirates

Duncan and Plourde also helped lead Pasco (20-9) to a Class 5A-District 8 championship over rival Wesley Chapel, but were knocked out of the region quarterfinals by Eustis.

Barry University is Division II college located in Miami Shores and the Buccaneers went 31-19 this season, while Daytona State is a junior college in Daytona Beach and the Falcons finished the season receiving six votes in the NJCAA baseball poll.

Correspondent Mike Camunas can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and follow him on Twitter @MikeCamunas.