Headlines
Subscribe to our NewsletterTuesday, March 22, 2016 WIN vs Inspiration Academy
Tuesday March 22nd
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
9 |
10 |
R |
H |
E |
|
Palm Harbor |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
|
Inspiration Academy |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
WP - C. Mink
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
After scoring 17 runs in the first round of the 47th Annual Dunedin Spring Classic, PHU found themselves in a low scoring extra innings pitcher’s duel that went late into Tuesday night vs Inspiration Academy of Brandenton in the second round. The Hurricanes used two pitchers in the ten-inning affair and had a combined 17 strikeouts to go along with only four walks, four hits and one run in route to a very exciting 3-1 victory.
Senior Brian Brown started for the Hurricanes and was lights out from the beginning. The tall hard throwing right hander was is command of his fastball, locating his pitches and mixing in his curve ball constantly keeping the hitters off balance. With the help of great defense and Brown’s amazing day on the bump, Brown tossed six full shutout innings tallying 12 strikeouts, 2 hits, 2 walks and no runs in his no decision.
Senior lefty Colt Mink was brought in the 7th inning and had a bit of baseball bad luck when he struck-out a batter but the batter advanced to first on a dropped third strike. That runner would eventually score to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Mink settled down and was aided by a spectacular bases loaded double play by Senior Dan Hollander and Sophomore Ryan Laheney for the 6-2-3 double play. Mink followed the defensive gem with a strikeout in the bottom of 9th to extend the game. Mink finished with four full innings with five strikeouts, 2 hits, 2 walks, a pickoff and one run for the win.
Offensively, there was not much offense as the Inspiration Academy pitching was matching Brown and Mink efforts nearly pitch for pitch. PHU managed only five hits but a you will read below, received some very clutch hits when it counted.
The Canes got on the board early in the top half of the first when Senior AJ Hrica (2 walks, 2 runs scored, reached on error) lead off the game by beating the throw from the shortstop who bobbled the ball. Senior Riley Degnan (2 walks, sacrifice bunt) induces a full count walk. Senior Adam Jurco (walk, run scored, FC) reaches on a fielder’s choice forcing out Degnan and advancing Hrica to third base. Helping his own cause, Brown (walk, RBI) reaches on an error scoring Hrica for the early 1-0 lead.
Senior Evan DiFrancesco, Senior John Pichman, Junior Carter Wilson and Sophomore Ryan Laheney all singled after the first inning throughout the game but no further PHU runs were plated.
With the score tied 1-1, the game was heading into the exciting 10th inning. Hrica leads off with a four-pitch walk. Degnan lays down a beautiful sac bunt to move the Hrica over to second. Senior Adam Jurco is intentionally walked to set up a force play for Inspiration. With a new pitcher just in, Pichman smokes the first pitch into left center for a stand-up double scoring Hrica and advancing Jurco to third base for the lead. Brown is also intentionally walked to load the bases. With Hollander(HBP) at the plate, Jurco slides in safely on a wild pitch for the extra insurance run and 3-1 lead and eventual end score.
Mink came back to finish the 10th inning with a 1-2-3 inning by striking out the last batter to end the exciting game.
With the win, Defending Champion Palm Harbor advances to the Semi-Final Round on Thursday, March 24th at 8 pm vs Clearwater Central Catholic High School.
