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Highlands Today

Streaks Stay Ahead Of Curve

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Sebring’s Adam Simmons was lights-out on Friday: He gave up just one hit, a pair of walks and struck out 10 Red Devils during the Blue Streaks’ victory at the Early Bird Tournament.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: February 17, 2008

AVON PARK — A steady diet of curveballs was on the menu for Avon Park, and Sebring pitcher Adam Simmons was serving up hearty portions.

The Streaks pitcher force-fed the Red Devils all the breaking balls they could handle while hurling a gem — one hit and 10 strike outs — to lead the Sebring baseball team to a 6-1 victory on the final day of the Bill Jarrett Early Bird Tournament at Head Field on Friday.

"My curveball was the difference tonight," Simmons said while getting his arm wrapped with ice after the game. "The curve helped me set up my fastball to keep them off balance."

Avon Park head coach Mort Jackson agreed with Simmons, but noted that it's early in the season.

"Pitching is always ahead of hitting early in the season," Coach Jackson said. "I'm not taking anything away from [Simmons]. He pitched a great game, and his curve kept out hitters guessing.

"Hitting is just something we'll have to add to the list of things to work on."

Streaks head coach Hoppy Rewis kept his enthusiasm to a minimum after the win.

"This is just the first week of the season," Rewis said. "But I thought Adam threw really well tonight. He's got a better-than-average fastball with movement. It's tough for most hitters who don't see that pitcher every day."

Sebring's bats came to life in the second as Jordan Bassett, Cory Watt and first baseman Tony Vazquez drove in runs and the Streaks scored on an Avon Park fielding miscue to take a 4-0 lead.

The Red Devils committed their only two errors of the game in that inning, but it proved to be costly.

"We just made some mistakes we shouldn't have and they jumped on us," Coach Jackson said.

On the flip side, Avon Park was trying to solve the riddle on the mound that was Simmons, who struck out six of the first 11 Red Devil batters he faced.

Sebring assistant coach Chet Maxcy praised his pitcher for his performance on the mound, noting Simmons understands that success is all about preparation.

"[Adam] works hard in the bullpen to get ready for games," Maxcy said. "He throws in the bullpen like he was in a game.

"He keeps hitters off balance by throwing a hard curve that looks like a fastball. That helps him set up his fastball and catches batters looking."

Avon Park avoided the shutout in the seventh when Heath Barnes opened with a double into left. Buddy Duke's RBI grounder plated the run, but Vazquez, who came on in relief, got Matt Rivera to fly out for the final out.

Sebring added a run on a Vazquez sacrifice fly that drove in Bassett in the fourth and on a Gus Williams RBI single into center in the fifth.

BASEBALL: Auburndale 12, Lake Placid 0

AVON PARK — Mistakes and lapses in judgment mounted for the Lake Placid baseball team, as Auburndale scored nine runs in the game-deciding fifth inning to pull off a 12-0 rout of the Green Dragons in the opening game of the Bill Jarrett Early Bird Tournament at Head Field on Friday.

Lake Placid committed three of their seven errors in that crucial fifth inning that saw the Tigers pounce on the opportunity to build on their 3-0 lead, scoring nine runs on eight hits for the margin of victory.

The lack of consistency from his team has LP head coach Dan Coomes searching for answers.

"They show signs of what kind of team they could be," Coomes said. "They show me just enough to know they can play. We'll just pick up the pieces and get ready to play next week."

The Green Dragons offense never got on track against Auburndale, as LP managed just one hit off Tiger starter Ryan Dommelly — a single by senior shortstop Carlos Sosa in the top of the third.

LOCAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM MEMBERS
Heath Barnes ± Avon Park
Corey Topa ± Avon Park
Cody Higgins ± Sebring
Adam Simmons ± Sebring
Kyle Long ± Sebring
Carlos Sosa ± Lake Placid

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