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Hawks get wings clipped in state semifinals

Photo by SCOTT PURKS

The game featured some rough collisions at home plate, both in a pivotal fifth inning.

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By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 25, 2009

Updated: 05/25/2009 10:24 pm

PORT ST. LUCIE - The ending to Armwood's Class 5A state semifinal matchup Monday seemed only fitting.

After mistakes - the bulk of which occurred on the base paths - put the Hawks in a hole heading into their final at-bat against Tallahassee Chiles, the clincher was an Armwood base runner getting picked off third to end the game with the potential tying run in scoring position in a 4-2 loss at Tradition Field.

"It wasn't good, I'll just say that," Armwood coach Mike Wrenn said of his team's base-running misfortunes. "We made some mental mistakes, and it cost us some runs."

One of the Hawks' (26-6) biggest miscues occurred in the home half of the fifth. The Hawks entered the inning down 4-0 but had just scored their first run on an RBI single from Jackson Fameree and had runners on first and second with one out. Tanner Emmons stepped to the plate and promptly drilled a ball to the gap in left-center.

Josh Spano, who was on second, was waved around third and ended up in a nasty collision with Chiles catcher Taylor Anders. Spano was ejected following the play, and the umpires ruled Spano made contact before scoring, meaning the run didn't count. So instead of it being a 4-2 game, it resulted in the second out. The next Armwood batter struck out to end the inning, stranding two in scoring position.

The top half of the fifth ended when Chiles' Sean Poole was caught stealing at home. There was a collision on that play as well involving Spano, the catcher, who applied a tag high on Poole hard enough to chip his tooth. There was a brief altercation between the teams after that play, and Wrenn said he saw a Chiles player throw a punch at Spano.

But neither Chiles coach Greg Jones, Anders nor Poole believed Spano's collision with Anders was retaliation from the previous events. Wrenn didn't believe that was the case either.

"It was in the heat of the moment. He's an aggressive player. He's a quality, aggressive player, and I'm not going to take kids away and tell them to stop being aggressive," Wrenn said. "That's definitely one of the things that got us here."

All four Chiles runs against Hawks starter Robert Benincasa came in the third, an inning kept alive following a two-out error, one that led to the Timberwolves' final two runs. The Hawks had chances but hurt themselves with four runners picked off - including the final out - and another being doubled off on a throw from first to third after a ground ball out.

"The guys, they came back in certain situations and some hard situations. We had a lot of young guys playing today that did a lot of good things," Wrenn said. "I just feel bad for the seniors. At least we got this far. It's just hard for them that we couldn't finish it."

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