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Baseball: 4-Run First Dooms Dunedin

TIGERS 6, FALCONS 3

By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: May 5, 2009

DUNEDIN - Tuesday night quelled any possibility of having a repeat champion in Class 5A baseball after Jesuit High (26-2) made a four-run first inning last to defeat Dunedin, 6-3.

The Tigers' No. 4-7 hitters consecutively drove in individual runs during the top half of the frame off of Dunedin starter Alex Norris to set the game's tone early. Jesuit starter Daniel Gibson and the Tigers' smooth-fielding defense proceeded to make the lead hold up.

"It's tough to play from behind against a team like that," Dunedin head coach Tom Hilbert said.

Dunedin (21-7) was not without its opportunities, though, he noted.

With the game now at 5-1 in the fourth, the Falcons loaded the bases with two outs. Rightfielder Michael Tipton answered with an RBI single that kept the bags juiced, but leadoff hitter Casey Turgeon was unable to sustain the rally.

Dunedin stranded seven baserunners in the last four innings and nine total.

"Early (Gibson) did keep us off balance and when he got into jams, he got out of them pretty well," Hilbert said of Jesuit's starter.

Gibson finished with seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings to earn the win. Freshman Lance McCullers came in to get the last out – a strikeout – and record the save.

While unsuccessful at driving home runs, the Falcons did not go down quietly. Ben Emery's two-out RBI single in the seventh put runners at first and third, as well as knocking Gibson from the mound. McCullers then ended the threat, and the night, with a strikeout of centerfielder Alex Libby. Libby was the only Falcon get multiple hits, going 2-for-4.

Emery and Mike Clarkson combined for 1 2/3 relief innings of no-hit, shutout ball for the Falcons. After surrendering the four-hit, four-run opening frame, Norris scattered just three more hits in his next 4 1/3 innings before exiting.

"He gave up a little bleeder there in the sixth to score a run, but that's part of baseball," Hilbert said, speaking of Norris' ability to bounce back after the first. "He's been our guy all year and I'm very proud of the way he battled. But it's just a situation where you're going to have innings like that."

"You've got to give (Jesuit) credit; they banged out three hits in a row (in the first inning). Two-out hits are tough to come by and those will win baseball games at any level."

Jesuit will now advance to the regional semifinals to meet District 5A-10 rival Plant High. The game will be a rematch of last Friday's 10-1 Plant victory in the district title game.

BOX SCORE:

JESUIT- 400 - 101 - 0 --- 6-7-1
DUNEDIN- 001 - 100 - 1 --- 3-8-0

TOP PERFORMERS:

Jesuit

Daniel Gibson – Win, 6 2/3 IP, 7 K, 3 ER
Alex Bacon - 2-for-4, R
Jimmy Falla – 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, R

Dunedin

Michael Tipton - 1-for-3, RBI
Alex Norris – Loss, 5 1/3 IP, 5 K, 7 H, 6 ER – 1-for-3, 2B, BB
Alex Libby – 2-for-4, R