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BASEBALL: Pasco County Region Quarterfinals

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 4, 2009

CLASS 5A-REGION 2
Brandon (20-6) at Wesley Chapel (12-14)
WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, 7 p.m.; Wesley Chapel High, 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel 33544
COACHES: Matt Stallbaumer (Brandon); Chuck Yingling (Wesley Chapel)
TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Brandon – 17th appearance, 9-16 record. Lost to Dunedin in last year's state semifinal. Reached the state finals in 1990 and 1995. Wesley Chapel – second appearance, 0-1 record. Lost to Brandon in last year's region quarterfinal.
INSIDE PITCH: Brandon's run to the state final four last year began with a 5-4 win against Wesley Chapel in the region quarterfinal. … Wesley Chapel has won seven of its last eight since losing to Hillsborough in the Saladino Tournament. The Wildcats only loss in that stretch was against Mitchell. Wesley Chapel beat top-seeded Land O' Lakes 4-1 in the 5A-7 district finals and shut out No. 2-seed Brooksville Central 7-0 in the championship to claim the school's first district baseball title.

CLASS 4A-REGION 2
Eustis (N/A) at Pasco (20-7)
WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, 7 p.m.; Pasco High, 36850 S.R. 52, Dade City 33525
COACHES: Greg Fulmer (Eustis); Ricky Giles (Pasco)
TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Eustis – 16th appearance, 13-14 record. Won state titles in 2000 and 2003. Pasco – 19th appearance, 16-18 record. Won state title in 1957, finished second in 1997.
INSIDE PITCH: The Pirates have been an up-and-down team all season. The finished tied for first in the 4A-8 regular-season district standings but were the No. 2 seed. But in the district tournament, Pasco beat Hudson 10-0, Wiregrass Ranch 9-1 and Nature Coast 10-9. Hitting has not been a problem – the team has a .339 batting average and hit 41 home runs. But pitching has haunted Coach Ricky Giles all season. Brennan Allen (7-1) has stepped up after injuries to Henry Johnson and Christopher Dious. The Pirates advanced to the region finals last season.

CLASS 2A-REGION 3
BISHOP McLAUGHLIN (11-13) AT FORT MEADE (16-9)
WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, 7 p.m.; Fort Meade High, 700 Edgewood Dr. North, Fort Meade 33841
COACHES: Nick Rodriguez (Bishop McLaughlin); Jeff Tofanelli (Fort Meade)
TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Bishop McLaughlin – third appearance, 1-2 record. Fort Meade – ninth appearance, 8-10 record. Lost in state semifinals last season. Also lost in state semifinals in 1943 and 2004.
INSIDE PITCH: The Hurricanes started the season as the team to beat in 2A-9 and an early-season win against Tampa Catholic gave the impression Bishop McLaughlin would run away with the district title. But the Hurricanes ended the regular season with six consecutive losses and lost to Tampa Prep in the district tournament finals. Fort Meade won the 2A-10 title with an 8-3 win against Winter Haven All Saints', a team that beat the Miners twice in the regular season.

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