Crusaders top Gators again

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Cristina Ledra

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 07:23 PM

TAMPA For the second time this season Tampa Catholic topped Land O’ Lakes, this time 6-4, snapping the Gators’ 14-game win streak that began after the Crusaders beat them 2-1 in the first game of the year.

Trent Stoker got the win for the Crusaders, who improved to 11-5, pitching four complete innings with 6 hits, 3 runs, 4 Ks and 2 BBs. Ryan Klosicki earned the save, coming in in relief in the top of the fifth inning.

Matt Fuglesang took the loss. He pitched against Tampa Catholic earlier this season.

Both teams saw big differences between this meeting and first. Land O’ Lakes coach Calvin Baisley said the Gators hit the ball much better this time, but made too many mistakes. Land O’ Lakes had a couple of base-running flubs that probably cost them some runs.

“We hit the ball as well as they did, but when you have teams that are evenly matched up, it’s the little things that make the difference,” Baisley said.

The Crusaders also thought they hit the ball much better this time around. That’s been the trend lately as Tampa Catholic has scored 34 runs in its last three games.

“We just hit the ball,” said Brandon Mendoza, who had a double, single and one run. “[Fuglesang] had 12 strikeouts against us in the first game the season.”

The Crusaders took the 2-0 lead in the first inning but Land O’ Lakes answered back in the second with two runs. The Gators took the lead in the third with a run. Tampa Catholic regained the lead with a run in the third and another in the fourth. Land O’ Lakes scored one more run in the fifth and so did Tampa Catholic to make the score 6-4.

Tampa Catholic was without its coach Rich Arena, who was serving the last day of a seven-day suspension, and outfielder John Diaz, who has an ankle injury. Acting as coach was Raul Cuervo. Cuervo said the Crusaders expected to have Diaz back in time for the Saladino Tournament.

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Checking Out The Early Derby Odds

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by The Tampa Tribune

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 07:23 PM

Unless there is a change in this last month countdown to the Kentucky Derby, occasional horse race experts out there may start warming up to a thoroughbred named Big Brown as a personal favorite in the race.

First this lightly raced horse is 3-for-3, sounds good but does not represent much overall in this extraordinary pursuit. His most recent victory was the $l million Florida Derby at Gulfstream. And a third reason is for you to start a Kentucky Derby romance with Challenger, and his hard-life trainer, Rick Dutrow.

And, both horse and trainer have been on life support of some kind getting to this chance of their racing careers. Big Brown is not scheduled to race again until the Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville. So, he will go to the post at that sacred starting place with but three races, but, all wins.

Know too, that George M. Steinbrenner has been in ownership along the way and that Big Brown is only three wins, three races away from winning his first race, ever, at Saratoga in upstate New York. He had two primers and then the biggie at the Florida Derby that made him famous, made him a leading 3-year-old who raced that distance for the first time at Louisville. It is a grand baptismal for wonderful horses. It is a grand time for all there.

The story line is his first owner Paul Pompa, started as a youngster at Saratoga in the hopes of cashing a couple of tickets for him and trainer Patrick Reynolds. Well, he cashed the tickets and his rookie horse beat a bunch of rookies by 101/2 half lengths. It was one of whose what-have-we-got-here moments.

Big Brown was sold a couple of times, for huge profits, and now his owners want him to win the Derby and all the rest. He may.

But, at Saratoga when Big Brown won his first was trainer Bill Mott with Majestic Warrior. Mott’s horse ran in another race and won. Another, War Pass, ran at Tampa Bay Downs; he broke poorly and never recovered. Mott said he will take War Pass to Kentucky, for a race before the Derby. May well face Big Brown there. Mott is a wonderful trainer.
So, as of this moment, Pyro is 4-1. This horse has won the Louisiana Derby. Big Brown is 6-1 and two in the advanced rating, and War Pass is three. This is the Mott horse that finished dead last in the Tampa Bay Derby. War Pass is 9-2. There are others, of course.

Now, if Big Brown is to pull it off at Churchill Downs, jockey Kent Desormeaux will have to ride the race of his life, and he promises to do that, and Rick Dutrow, the trainer of hard knocks, will have to chart the route of his life. Count on this tough lifed Dutrow to do that.

Now a word or two about trainer Dutrow. ... Well, he’s had his troubles. He is 48, the son of a trainer in Maryland . He has had repeated run-ins with officials. He served a heavy suspension of 60 days in 2005 for breaking medication and claiming rules. Last year he was suspended for 14 days for violation of the suspension rules. Yet, Dutrow, has won three breeder cup races, including the 2005 Classic horse of the year race with Saint Liam.

Yet, he brought his big horse of today, Big Brown, back to the track, repaired cracks in his feet. For owners who want quick results, one race writer wrote, Dutrow is the man. The expert wrote, “If Dutrow and his veterinarian can keep Big Brown healthy he will be a serious threat in the Derby . Got to be for this trainer. Once, broke and out of a job, he slept with the horses.

Not bad if they don’t step on you, or, well, that’ll do.

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TC Collects Victory Against Bishop McLaughlin

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 06:13 PM

By EDDIE DANIELS
The Tampa Tribune

SPRING HILL – The Tampa Catholic softball team jumped out to an early lead and never looked back Tuesday afternoon in the Crusaders’ 8-3 victory against Bishop McLaughlin.

“I was happy with their performance,” said Crusaders assistant Randy Martinez, filling in for head coach Vernon Tatum. “We were able to get everybody in, so we made some changes early. Defensively we played well, made a couple base running mistakes there…”

In the top of the first inning, TC took the lead when Raven Sepulveda singled in Dionna Fernandez. The next batter, Tarah Revels, drove in Megan Nelson with a single, stretching the advantage, 2-0.

Smart base running, gave the Crusaders (9-4) their next run when Christina Martinez came home as Hurricane’s first baseman Stephanie Pearson beat Nelson to the bag on a grounder. Four batters later, the margin widened, 4-0, on an infield error, which allowed Sepulveda to score.

Tampa Catholic added three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth, pushing its advantage to 8-0. Despite the daunting lead, Bishop McLaughlin (6-8), forged ahead in the bottom of the sixth, platting three runners.

The Hurricanes loaded the bases with a single from Kelly Frosch and consecutive walks by Caitlin Croissaint and Marissa Gill. Following a pitching change, Molly Gulbrandsen took ball four, walking in Frosch for Bishop McLaughlin’s first run, 8-1.

Catcher Jenna Palmero singled, scoring Croissaint and Gill, cutting the deficit, 8-3.

“They didn’t give up,” Hurricanes coach Henry Burns said. “We’re rusty. We had 11 days and off and we only had one practice, which was yesterday. All-in-all, we got the rust off, we’ll be ready for districts.”

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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TC Collects Victory Against Bishop McLaughlin

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 06:14 PM

By EDDIE DANIELS
The Tampa Tribune

SPRING HILL – The Tampa Catholic softball team jumped out to an early lead and never looked back Tuesday afternoon in the Crusaders’ 8-3 victory against Bishop McLaughlin.

“I was happy with their performance,” said Crusaders assistant Randy Martinez, filling in for head coach Vernon Tatum. “We were able to get everybody in, so we made some changes early. Defensively we played well, made a couple base running mistakes there…”

In the top of the first inning, TC took the lead when Raven Sepulveda singled in Dionna Fernandez. The next batter, Tarah Revels, drove in Megan Nelson with a single, stretching the advantage, 2-0.

Smart base running, gave the Crusaders (9-4) their next run when Christina Martinez came home as Hurricane’s first baseman Stephanie Pearson beat Nelson to the bag on a grounder. Four batters later, the margin widened, 4-0, on an infield error, which allowed Sepulveda to score.

Tampa Catholic added three runs in the fifth and another in the sixth, pushing its advantage to 8-0. Despite the daunting lead, Bishop McLaughlin (6-8), forged ahead in the bottom of the sixth, platting three runners.

The Hurricanes loaded the bases with a single from Kelly Frosch and consecutive walks by Caitlin Croissaint and Marissa Gill. Following a pitching change, Molly Gulbrandsen took ball four, walking in Frosch for Bishop McLaughlin’s first run, 8-1.

Catcher Jenna Palmero singled, scoring Croissaint and Gill, cutting the deficit, 8-3.

“They didn’t give up,” Hurricanes coach Henry Burns said. “We’re rusty. We had 11 days and off and we only had one practice, which was yesterday. All-in-all, we got the rust off, we’ll be ready for districts.”

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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Ecks resting comfortably; USF postpones UF game

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 11:45 PM

USF softball pitcher Cristi Ecks was resting comfortably at a local hospital Tuesday night, hours after she collapsed during a practice, USF sports information director Chris Freet wrote in an E-mail Tuesday night.

Because of Ecks’ condition, the Bulls postponed a game at Florida, scheduled for Wednesday.

“The last thing we thought about [Tuesday] is softball,” USF coach Ken Eriksen said. “The first and only concern was the health of Cristi Ecks. I saw Cristi [Tuesday night] and she is relaxed and resting at the hospital. Our program feels truly blessed that [Tuesday night’s] medical reports are positive.

“After the unnerving events of [Tuesday], we asked Florida if we could postpone our game scheduled to be played in Gainesville on Wednesday and they kindly agreed. We will take the day to regroup and recuperate as a team.”

Freet indicated all reports on Ecks were positive. As a precaution she stayed at the hospital Tuesday night and was expected to be released Wednesday.

When she collapsed, USF’s athletic trainers were present and followed closely by emergency medical personnel. Ecks was responsive and in stable condition when she was taken to the hospital.

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BA: Rays Organization No. 1 Again

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Aaron Knox

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 01:57 PM

Baseball America’s annual organizational rankings list Tampa Bay No. 1 out of 30 teams for the second consecutive year.

Here’s the comment from the chart at the magazine’s Web site:

State Of The System: It hasn’t translated into a winning season at the major league level—yet—but the Rays have ranked No. 1 on this list for two straight years. They’ve made the most of their early first-round picks, hitting on the likes of OF B.J. Upton, 3B Evan Longoria and LHP David Price, but they’ve also scored on less-touted players in later rounds, such as LHP Jake McGee, RHP Wade Davis, SS Reid Brignac and OF Desmond Jennings. Though they haven’t been nearly as productive internationally, that may change as they did field a Dominican Summer League team again and opened a Venezuelan academy in 2007.
Best-Stocked Position: Righthanded starters. Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann could crack the big league rotation this season, and Jeremy Hellickson is on the verge of a breakout. There’s a lot of depth behind that trio, with Chris Mason, Alex Cobb, Josh Butler, Nick Barnese, Heath Rollins, Mitch Talbot and Will Kline. Rollins tied for the minor league lead with 17 wins last year, while Mason topped the Double-A Southern League with 15 victories and a 2.57 ERA.
Prepare For Takeoff: Hellickson. The Rays like to bring their high school pitchers along slowly, so Hellickson has advanced only as far as low Class A after three pro seasons. But he was the hottest pitcher in the South Atlantic League down the stretch in 2007, and this year should be his coming-out party.
At A Crossroads: 3B/1B Joel Guzman. He ranked fifth on our Top 100 Prospects list entering the 2005 season, but his power and his energy have disappeared. He batted just .242/.281/.408 while repeating Triple-A, and he has no chance to unseat Evan Longoria at third base or Carlos Pena at first.

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Play It, And They Will Come

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Aaron Knox

Updated Apr 3, 2008 at 12:40 PM

If you happened to drive by the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville on April 3, 2007, it would have been easy to assume the Red Sox and Yankees had decided to return to the Sunshine State to play a final spring exhibition.

There was no way an overflow crowd of 12,280 fans would turn out for a college baseball game, right? Wrong. In this case, it wasn’t some diamond dream floating around in Ray Kinsella’s head. The neutral-site game between Florida State and Florida drew the largest crowd for a college game in Florida’s history.

So, recognizing a home run when they see one, the powers-that-be scheduled a rematch in Jacksonville tonight between the two rivals.

Good call. My only question is: Why didn’t somebody think of this sooner?

Jacksonville proved the perfect host, but I’d like to see an annual FSU-UF neutral-site game each year at different venues around the state. Make it one of the most-publicized games of the season.

Maybe Legends Field – oops, Steinbrenner Field – in Tampa could serve as host one year, then Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Orlando the next. To give fans in South Florida a shorter drive, the game could be played at the Cardinals’ spring home in Jupiter or in Fort Lauderdale.

College baseball is like the redheaded stepchild of the football and men’s basketball programs at most schools, but obviously there are ample FSU and UF fans around to pack a stadium with as many fans at most regular-season games at The Trop.

The schools play three times this season, once in Gainesville (UF won 6-1 on March 18), once in Tallahassee (April 15) and tonight in Jacksonville. Another idea could be to add another regular-season game between the schools each year and hold it at a rotating neutral-site venue, and then keep the annual showdown in Jacksonville.

Anyway, that’s my two cents. What do you think? Was last year’s game a one-hit wonder or do you think the game could draw 10,000-plus annually?

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Plant Baseball Shoots Up National Rankings

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Adam Adkins

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 11:57 AM

The Plant Panthers baseball team shot up the National High School Baseball Coaches Association/Baseball America poll this week, jumping all the way to No. 12 in the latest poll, which was released Tuesday.

Plant (16-1) is one of six Florida teams in the Top 25 this week. The Panthers are the third highest team from Florida, behind national No. 1 Plantation American Heritage and No. 3 Sarasota.

The Panthers return to the field Friday against Alonso.

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Titans Duo Headed To Dubuque

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Adam Adkins

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 11:49 AM

Tampa Bay Tech senior quarterback Mario Tucker and defensive lineman Antonio Hayes will play next season at the University of Dubuque, a Division III program, Titans coach C.C. Culpepper announced.

Tucker accounted for 674 yards of offense and 14 touchdowns (eight rushing, six passing) last season. Hayes tallied 32 tackles and a sack.

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Storm vs. Columbus Picked Up By Catch 47

Posted Apr 1, 2008 by Adam Adkins

Updated Apr 1, 2008 at 11:43 AM

Saturday’s Tampa Bay Storm game at Columbus has been picked up by Catch 47 and will be televised live, the team released today.

The game, scheduled for a 7 p.m. start, is a rematch of last year’s playoff game, which Columbus won 56-55.

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