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Cambridge gets return trip to state

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 17, 2009

BRADENTON - All season long, Cambridge Christian has used its big bats against Class 1A opponents. In 11 games vs. 1A opponents heading into the Region 3 finals against Sarasota Out-of-Door, the Lancers had outscored their 1A foes 137-6.

But Cambridge (20-7) played small ball Saturday in the Lancers' 4-0 win against the Thunder to earn a second consecutive trip to the state final four, which begins Wednesday at Port St. Lucie.

The Lancers managed only five hits off ODA starter Taylor Emmons but made the most of those hits.

"The scouting report on their pitcher was to small-ball him," Cambridge coach Rick Shears said. "He's a very good pitcher, a senior and their team leader. The book was right so that's what we had to do."

Cambridge scored two runs in the bottom of the first when Andrew Widell drew a one-out walk and immediately stole second. Trent Tagliarini followed with a single, moving Widell to third. With Peter Miller at the plate, Tagliarini stole second, and when the catcher's throw went into center field, Widell scored and Tagliarini moved to third. Miller grounded out but Tagliarini scored.

The Lancers added single runs in the third and fourth and that was all Lancers starter Derek Self needed.

The junior left-hander, who missed three weeks with a sore shoulder, ran his record to 6-0 this season, allowing four hits and striking out seven. Self ran into a little trouble in the sixth and seventh innings but his defense preserved the shutout.

In the sixth, the Thunder (17-14) had runners on first and second with one out and failed to score. In the seventh, Tony Gurry led off with a single and Brody Wiseman followed with a double. But Cambridge right fielder Hayden Kelley threw a strike to catcher Widell, who tagged Gurry out at the plate. Self struck out the next hitter and Tagliarini made a diving catch at shortstop for the final out.

"My teammates did a great job on defense getting the guy at the plate," Self said. "The momentum was shifting toward their side. They wanted the shutout as much as I did. They've played great defense behind me all year."

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