At University of Tampa
Scores
Freedom 9, Blake 5
Plant City 7, Riverview 0
Armwood 7, Robinson 3
Alonso 3, Sickles 2 (nine)
Pitchers of the day
A day after tossing two scoreless innings against Freedom, Plant City sophomore Ryan Boyd struck out six and was perfect through four innings. Miguel Martinez threw two shutout innings in relief, and Billy McKay kept his ERA perfect on the season with a scoreless seventh. …Alonso’s Kevin Nunez (four strikeouts) threw eight strong innings, allowing only two runs on five hits. …Troy Bacon struck out five batters with no walks and gave up two runs in a seven-inning effort for Sickles.
Hitters of the day
Sam Davidson was 0-for-3 until his last at-bat in the ninth inning of Alonso’s neighborhood battle with Sickles for the Pool F title. But the junior lined a 1-2 changeup into leftfield to lead the Ravens to an extra-innings victory. Ryan Mejia singled home the tying run with two outs in the sixth. …Sickles leadoff Xavier Rodriguez (2-for-4) laced a triple off the top of the wall in rightfield, and Levi Gilcrease was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. …Peyton Collins (2-for-4), Dalton Wingo (2-for-3, walk) and Trey Matthews (2-for-3) each had two RBIs for Plant City; junior Connor Slagill was 2-for-4 with a double. …Armwood junior Jimmy Blake had three hits, including a double. …Freedom leadoff Coleton Morgan stroked a triple and two singles in a 3-for-4 effort. Mason Strickland (1-for-2) also tripled, and John Berg (2-for-3, sac fly) had three RBIs. …Blake, winless in Saladino play, was led by cleanup batter Derek Mann, 2-for-2 with a double and two walks.
Defensive gems of the day
Plant City leftfielder Cory Cotnoir robbed Riverview’s C.J. Lowe of a bloop single with a full sprint, sliding grab for the first out of the game. …Alonso freshman second baseman Jose Ciccarello collided with rightfielder Brandt Burrows on a shallow flyball but was able to absorb the contact, avoid injury and make the out. Later in the seventh, Ravens third baseman Jake Clark raced down the leftfield line and made an over-the-shoulder, diving grab in foul territory to end the inning.
Did you know?
Plant City’s pitching staff allowed only one unearned run through three Saladino pool games.
Dugout chatter
“We’re just hitting our spots. We’ve got a good defense behind us. Things are going well.” — Boyd on Plant City’s dominant pitching
“First time hitting a walk off. Just feeling the moment, trying to do my job. It feels good.” — Davidson on his winner for Alonso