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Okeechobee Storms Past Sebring In District 8 Tourney

MURRAY’S 4 RBI PACE DIXIE TOURNEY WIN

Mark Pinson/Highlands Today

Sebring’s Mark Greenauer gets ready to land on the plate after hitting a three-run homer against Okeechobee during Monday night’s Dixie 13-year-old boys District 8 tournament at Okechobee Sports Complex.

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By Mark  Pinson | Highlands Today

Published: July 1, 2008

OKEECHOBEE — After waiting almost two hours to play against Okeechobee in the Dixie 13-year-old District 8 tournament because of storms on Monday night, the Sebring All-Stars ran into a home team that was ready to play.

Okeechobee, which banged out 13 hits off four different pitchers, scored six runs in the first inning on its way to an 18-8 drubbing of Sebring at the Okeechobee Sports Complex.

"The long delay definitely hurt us," said Sebring coach Cesar Martinez. "We fell behind early, but we didn't hang our heads and battled back to make a game of it.

"We got caught a little short in the pitching department because of the way the game started, but we've got everybody ready to go in the final, and we'll be ready to play."

Both teams have one loss in the double-elimination tournament, which set up a final game for the district championship on Tuesday.

No matter the outcome, both teams advance to the state tournament in Marianna later this month.
Results from the championship game were not available at press time, but be sure to check out Thursday's Highlands Today for the complete story, photos and reaction.

Things started out badly for Sebring in the top of the first inning when Josh Gomez was thrown out trying to score on a fly ball to right field to end a threat.

Okeechobee got rolling in the bottom of the frame as leadoff batter Dalton Murray — who had three hits and four RBI — doubled to left-center field and Jack Radebaugh followed with an RBI double to right field.

Another weather delay halted action for 30 minutes before Okeechobee resumed its assault.
Tyler Barber walked and Radebaugh scored when a pick-off attempt went awry at third base.

After Barber raced home on a wild pitch by Sebring right-hander Mark Greenauer, Alex Estremera walked, stole second base and scored on a single by David Coleman.

Bubba Boston came on in relief of Greenauer and surrendered back-to-back singles to plate two more runs to give Okeechobee a stunning 6-0 lead.

Okeechobee added to its lead with a pair of runs in the third inning.
Sebring, down but not out, roared back in the top of the fourth inning.
Garrett Martinez walked and Boston was hit by a pitch.

Alfredo Negrin singled off of Radebaugh to scored Martinez and a walk to Wade Faircloth loaded the bases.
Justin Acevedo followed with a slow roller to third base that was thrown away, allowing Boston and Negrin to score.

A single by Gomez plated Faircloth, and Estremera came on in relief of Radebaugh.
Greenauer greeted Estremera with a towering blast over the left-center field fence for a three-run homer to cut the deficit to 8-7.

"We had all the momentum, and I thought we were going to come all the way back," coach Martinez said.
Estremera settled down and retired the next two batters to end the threat.

A determined Okeechobee squad had no intentions of allowing Sebring to rally, as they scored two more runs in the fifth.

Sebring tallied a run in the top of the sixth inning, but Okeechobee exploded for an eight-run outburst in the sixth inning to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule.

"It takes two losses to knock us out, and we earned the right to play for the championship," coach Martinez said. "We're going to regroup and come back with everybody ready to go."

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