Jefferson tops Middleton

One way to look at Wednesday's 4A-District 9 baseball game was to look at Jefferson winning its final district game of the season decisively with a 14-4 margin against Middleton in six innings.

Then there is Pop Cuesta's way. Despite the strong offensive showing and error-free defensive play, the 40-year Dragons' coach said he has been left scratching his head lately with some of the mental mistakes his team has made recently including dropping tough district games to Jesuit and Steinbrenner.

"Steinbrenner should have been a wakeup call," Cuesta said. "We have to know that when you get here, those kids want to win as much as you do. They aren't going to roll over and say 'oh there is mighty Jefferson.'

"They need to be fired up because that is a challenge they are going to face every time out."

There was a botched hit-and-run that resulted in a runner being thrown out at second, an ejection warning after a player took his helmet off on the field while the ball was in play, a mouthpiece warning and a player almost getting caught off base thinking there were three outs.

"We work on everything we need to work on, but I can't do it for them," Cuesta said. "Hopefully we'll get it together before (districts)."

The shining spot for the Dragons in the 10-run win Wednesday night, though, was the offense sparked by a 3-for-5, four-RBI night from junior Corbin Olmstead, and a 2-for-4, three-run, two-RBI night from senior and South Florida-commit Steven Negron. Negron's night included a double, a triple and a stolen base.

For the Tigers, the battery struggled as pitchers Durin O'Linger, Trekel James and Jacob Davie and catcher Chris Warren combined for six wild pitches, two passed balls and allowed five stolen bases.

Offensively, Middleton's Dexture McCall was 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Taylor Byrd plated the Tiger's first run of the game, singling in James, who had tripled to lead off the second.