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Okeechobee Holds Off Sebring In District 8 Final
Okee’s Defense Comes Up Big
Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today
Sebring’s Mark Greenauer slides into home on Wednesday as Okeechobee catcher Dalton Murray applies a tag during the third inning of the Dixie 13-year-old boys District 8 championship final at Okeechobee Sports Complex.
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Published: July 2, 2008
OKEECHOBEE — Mark Greenauer inched away from third base, watching Okeechobee pitcher Jack Radenbaugh's delivery and hoping to zip to home plate and put Sebring closer to victory.
The phrase "Be Wise" reverberated from the Sebring cheering section, a mantra that turned out to be as prophetic as any spoken at Okeechobee Sports Complex on Wednesday morning.
With bases loaded, the Sebring All-Stars watched Okeechobee turn a double play from third to home, clinching a 6-4 victory in the championship final of the Dixie 13-year-old boys District 8 championship.
Greenauer walked off the field shaking his head, knowing his team had multiple chances to lift the championship trophy.
"You can't ask for a better scenario than bases loaded and one out," Greenauer said. "We just couldn't get the job done today, and that's why [Okeechobee] is going to the state tournament and we're not."
Okeechobee's defense turned out to be the turning point in the game, as the host team turned three double plays — two in each of the final two innings — and Sebring stranded 11 runners in the championship final.
With the win, Okeechobee heads to the Dixie Junior Boys state tournament in Marianna, while Sebring goes home for the summer.
Like last year, when the Sebring 13-year-olds advanced to state despite falling in the district final, another state qualifier dropping out could give Sebring a chance to take a spot at state, but coach Cesar Martinez quelled any notions of his team extending its season.
"I talked with the boys and their parents about that possibility," Martinez said. "We wanted to go as champions and not a second-place team, so I told the kids to enjoy the rest of their summer, and we'll go at it again next year."
Sebring had numerous chances to be that championship team against Okeechobee, as they loaded the bases in each of the final two innings and a chance to put the finishing touches to the game.
But Sebring was able to only plate two runs, as the Okeechobee defense made some flawless plays at the end to seal the victory.
"This was a classic game between the two best teams," Martinez said. "We play to win, and the better team won today. They made the plays when they had to."
Down 3-2 in the sixth, Sebring had the bases loaded with Cody Cook, Justin Acevedo and Alfredo Negrin waiting to come home. Back-to-back walks to Justin Long and Brad Doty scored Cook and Acevedo, but a soft hit back to Radenbaugh a 1-2-4 double play to end the threat and the boys in blue clinging to a one-run advantage.
After a quick one-pitch out, Sebring looked to be on the verge of that elusive title, but an error by the infield on a hard-hit grounder by Tyler Barber — who stole second and third — and a walk to Alex Estremera set the table for an RBI double by David Coleman to tie the game.
A hit back to Greenauer turned into a fielder's choice at home, but Jacob Domer's single into right scored two runs for the margin of victory.
"We had way too many errors today," Greenauer said. "That was the difference in the game. We were so close but couldn't get that one hit we needed at the end."
Both teams scored in the first, as Okeechobee's Dalton Murray came across home plate from third on a wild pitch and Cook's single into left scored Bubba Boston for a 1-1 tie.
Radenbaugh drove in Murray in the second and Cook drove in his second run of the game on a single into center and left the door open for more runs, as Sebring had runners on first and third. A fielder's choice play to second by Okeechobee put up the first out of the inning, but an attempt to score from third proved costly, as the Sebring runner was gunned down at the plate to keep the score tied at 2.
Martinez talked with his players after the game and praised their hard work and effort against a quality team.
"I'm proud of them all. A few more outs and if we could've made those routine plays, and it could've been a different game," Martinez said. "They came together as a team in a short amount of time and showed me that they wanted to win."
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