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Baseball: Bishop McLaughlin First Good, Then Bad

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 4, 2009

SHADY HILLS - Last week, Bishop McLaughlin baseball coach Nick Rodriguez gave his team a shorts-only practice following a 7-6 victory against Class 3A Tampa Catholic.

Rodriguez called the win the "biggest in school history."

It's a guarantee that practice Tuesday was not so light-hearted following the Hurricanes' 10-0, five-inning mercy-rule home loss to Berkeley Prep on Monday.

"Monday was probably the worst game I've seen in our brief history," said Rodriguez after a seniors-only meeting in left field following the loss. "Our seniors lead us, and when they struggle we all suffer. I don't know how much positive you can take from a game like this. Really disappointed. You can't show up and play a game like that. No matter whom you're playing or where you're playing. Berkeley came out to our field and embarrassed us."

Rodriguez worked hard putting this year's schedule together, and he got some of the better private schools on the slate. But it will be tough to keep the Tampa Catholics, Berkeley Preps and Jesuits on the schedule with performances like Monday.

The Hurricanes (3-2) were held to five base runners and three singles in five innings by Berkeley junior left-hander Garrett Ransom.

"Offensively, we were taking bad approaches," Rodriguez said. "We talked before the game about hitting line drives and being on top of the ball, and we're hitting pop-ups and ground balls back to the pitcher. They hit the ball well, but we couldn't have played much worse."

Berkeley jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead on a walk, two singles and a sacrifice fly off Bishop McLaughlin starter David Heintz. Heintz (1-2) was a last-minute replacement for Brian Holland, who was at home with a high fever.

The wheels fell off in the second as three Hurricanes errors led to six unearned runs and the Bucs (5-1) sent 12 men to the plate.

"I think I was more disappointed about how we approached the game than I was with everything else," Rodriguez said. "I think when you get a couple good wins and you're going that route and it's new to you and new to a program, you kind of run into games like this.

"I think that's what happened. We were playing shallow because we believe we can track a ball. Playing too far up the middle because we think we're going to turn two on every play - just bad situational baseball. I think that led us to being out of position, which led to us making errors."

Rodriguez took some of the blame for the team's performance.

"On a coach's front, it's my job to get them in the right spot, and obviously I didn't get them there Monday," he said.

Rodriguez was able to find a couple of bright spots in an otherwise dismal performance. Senior T.J. Hanlon made his first appearance on the mound, replacing Heintz in the second inning with the bases loaded and one out. It didn't start well, with Hanlon balking in a run before throwing a pitch. But he settled down and didn't allow any additional runs to score in that inning. Hanlon gave up two runs in the third on a two-out walk and back-to-back doubles, but he retired the last seven Berkeley batters.

"T.J. Hanlon had a hamstring problem, and this was the first time he had touched the mound this season," Rodriguez said. "Even with the cold weather, his ball broke a little. I think he's going to be a good short relief guy. He really didn't throw too badly. Also, T.J. Wharton, a sophomore, calling his own game. I think he's making significant improvement there."

Bishop returns to 1A play today at Shorecrest Prep and Friday travels to Tampa Prep for a 2A-District 9 showdown with the Terrapins. Rodriguez is a Tampa Prep graduate and former assistant coach.

Correspondent Rick Harmon can

be reached at (727) 692-7411 or

tampabaystringer@gmail.com.

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