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Brandon Bombs 8 HRs To Sweep Winter Haven

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By JARRETT GUTHRIE

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 10, 2008

BRANDON - Brandon won out in a two-game slugfest as the Eagles won the region series, defeating Winter Haven 9-8 and 10-6 Friday. The two teams combined for 13 home runs in the best-of-three series as the Eagles, who had eight homers, advance to the Class 5A state final four.

"Offensively we were in some kind of unique bubble today," Eagles coach Matt Stallbaumer said. "It was one of those things I told my pitchers to go get outs."

In the first game, the Eagles pulled ahead to a 6-0 lead by the fourth inning on long balls from James Ramsay, Eric Arce and Michael Smith. But Winter Haven (21-8) bounded back with a hitting display of its own in the fifth with back-to-back shots by LB Dantzler and Trey Mancini, scoring three, followed by a five-run fifth inning to take a two-run lead sparked by homers from Markus Brisker and Jeff Glenn.

The Eagles - who have won 16 straight - had solo shots in the fifth and sixth by Matt Bennett and Smith to tie the game. The Eagles' Chris Bradford singled to start the seventh and scored on a throwing error by Winter Haven for the Game 1 win.
Ramsay was 3-for-4 with a homer, double, three runs scored and two RBIs and junior catcher Smith had his first two-homer game. Roderick Shoulders was 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.

"Once you get the first under your belt, to not have to go home and think about it and then come back tomorrow and prep the field," Stallbaumer said. "To just not have to be equal with them the next day is a huge feeling."

Stallbaumer said he was concerned about a possible offensive slowdown in the Eagles' second game. However, those concerns were put to bed quickly as they got first-inning homes from Ramsay and Shoulders.

"To start out the second game I didn't think necessarily there would be a letdown," Stallbaumer said. "But I didn't think we would come out and do what we did."

In total, the Eagles (25-7) had 11 hits in the game, including a second homer from Shoulders as the sophomore, nicknamed "Rock," was 6-for-9 on the day with six RBIs.

"At school today we were talking about the sweep," Shoulders said. "Tonight we just came out here and did it for 14 innings."

Shoulders' first shot flew out of Don Powell Field and was estimated by Stallbaumer at a conservative 425 feet.

"The ball Rock hit was the longest ball I've ever seen hit here," Stallbaumer said. "Not to take away from other guys but that split the top of that tree."

Cory Schools (6-0) pitched a complete game for Brandon.

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