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Citrus Park One Win From Williamsport

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By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 7, 2008

GULFPORT - On Tuesday night, Citrus Park Little League's Brett Wilkosz got hit in the helmet by a wild pitch, and appeared dazed as he left the field before getting checked at a local hospital.

A day later, Wilkosz's fifth-inning ground ball to first eluded TCFM Yellow Jackets (S.C) first baseman Colin Quinn, and allowed Austin McCullers to score the first run as Citrus Park moved into the Southeast Region final on Friday night with a 5-0 win against the Yellow Jackets at Arnold S. White stadium.

"I was trying to get it to the right side of the infield, that's what Coach had been telling us to do the whole game," Wilcosz said. "I knew that there was going to be a first fastball right down the middle, almost every at-bat there was a fastball down the middle first pitch, so I just tried to drive it."
Citrus Park tacked on another four runs in the top of the sixth inning, but that wasn't necessary for starting pitcher Kevin Merrell, who threw a complete-game shutout.

After allowing a hit in both of the first two innings, Merrell appeared to get stronger as the game went on, striking out seven.

"That was a great performance," Citrus Park manager Joe McGuire said.

"I felt good, and our defense was really good, too," Merrell said.
Yellow Jackets starting pitcher Josh Corley had been matching Merrell, even out-pitching him for the first three innings as he sat down Citrus Park in order each time. But as the game went on he appeared to tire and his control became more wayward,
Citrus Park chased Corley in the top of the sixth inning, as Ryan McCullers drew a leadoff walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Wilcosz replaced McCullers as a pinch-runner at second, stole third and then scored as Mike McGuire doubled off relief pitcher Doug Norman.

McGuire scored, then Wyatt Reid and Levi Gilcrease scored on a 2-RBI single by Danny Lastra that gave Merrell an extra cushion going into the bottom of the inning.

"That was very important," Merrell said.

As for Wilcosz, after getting hit by Tullahoma (Tenn.) pitcher Jordan Sheffield the previous night, he was taken to hospital where doctors conducted a CAT scan. The doctors didn't find a concussion, said everything was fine, and Wilcosz was able to return to the complex at 10 p.m. on Tuesday night.

Despite the knock to the head, Wilcosz said there was no way he wasn't going to play tonight.

"I wouldn't have let coach McGuire do that," Wilcosz said.
Citrus Park will face Westside Little League in Friday's final after the Alabama state champions defeated Warner Robins (Ga.) in the first semifinal 16-14. In a back-and-forth game that saw nine home runs combined, Warner Robins staged a nine-run rally in the top of the sixth to take a 14-11 lead.

Westside came back immediately, however, on two solo home runs by Hayden Gaines and Greg White to cut the lead to one. Tyler Atchison then ended the game with a three-run shot over the left-center field fence.

Palma Ceia Juniors In Softball World Series

Palma Ceia Little League advanced to the Junior League softball World Series with an 8-3 victory against Wilkes County (N.C.) Little League at Fort Myers on Wednesday night.

Coming off an 11-7 win in 12 innings against Bloomingdale the previous night, Palma Ceia, which also contains players from Interbay and Tampa Bay Little Leagues, continued its momentum into the final, putting the game away with a six-run fifth inning.

"The team today came out extremely focused," Palma Ceia manager Kevin Franklin said. "It was the first time I've seen their faces with the intensity that they were going to win."

Blair Martin went 3-for-3 and Ashley Cozart went 2-for-4 at the top of the order for Palma Ceia, while Sarah Miller pitched 52/3 innings before Martin closed out the game.

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