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Sebring Suffers First Loss In Dixie AAA Tourney

CONTROVERSIAL PLAY PUTS WEST SEMINOLE ON TOP

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Sebring's Jimmy Peck, left, shows some emotion after smacking a three-run homer in the first inning of the Dixie AAA (ages 9-10) state tournament in Lakeland on Tuesday night.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: July 10, 2008

EAST LAKELAND - West Seminole's Collin McLaughlan's hit was as routine as they come, as was Sebring's Jason Cannon stretching to receive the throw at first for an easy out.

But this is the state tournament, and no plays are ever routine.

The umpire called McLaughlan safe, much to the disbelief of Sebring head coach Bobby Cannon, who walked out to investigate the call and was told his player's foot was off the bag.

"That was horrible," Cannon said. "Jason has made that play hundreds of times, and never has his foot come off the bag. He clearly made that play."

With the score tied at seven in the sixth, that controversial play left the door ajar for McLaughlan to score two batters later on a sacrifice fly to defeat Sebring 8-7 in the Dixie AAA (ages 9-10) state tournament late Tuesday night.

The loss drops Sebring into the loser's bracket, where they were scheduled to face Spring Hill Wednesday night. See out Friday's Highlands Today for complete coverage.

Cannon refused to use that play as an excuse for his team's loss, and said he understands that the tournament isn't over.

"This just means we'll have to beat [West Seminiole National] twice in the finals," Cannon said. "I knew this would be a dogfight against them. They're our equal as much as any team in this tournament.

"We just didn't hit the ball in key situations tonight. We had bases loaded with no outs [in the second] and we get only one run. That, basically, was the difference in the game for us."

With the game tied at seven heading into the final inning, Sebring went down in order and looked to their defense to push the game into extra innings.

Alex Gomez struck out the first batter and had a 2-2 count on McLaughlan when he reached first on the controversial call. After MacLaughlan stole second, Alex Ray pelted a single into center to put the winning run on third. Payton Rigby's sacrifice fly into center deflated the Sebring squad, who were gracious in defeat.

Cannon replied to the question about Gomez' effectiveness late in the game and the decision to hold up a runner in the second with a chance to score.

"I think Alex had enough to finish this game," Cannon said. "You can always go back and with hindsight change certain aspects of the game.

"I look back now, and yes, I should've sent the runner home in the second. But with a lead, bases loaded and no outs, I didn't want to risk an out."

This game turned into a tennis match of sorts, with each team taking the other's best shots and delivering one of their own.

Jimmy Peck started the fireworks off for Sebring by launching a three-run bomb into center field, but West Seminole's Austin Makarowiez responded with a solo shot into right.

Sebring built a 5-2 lead heading into the fifth on RBI singles by Rowdy Sebring and Seth Cannady, but the West Seminole squad scored three runs on five hits to tie the game at five.

Needing a spark after going down in order in the fourth, Sebring's Connor Cook hit a lead-off double off the left-field fence, stole third and  came home on a wild pitch. Peck plated Alex Gomez with a single into left.

Cannady's single put two runners on base with just one out and Sebring looking to blow the game open, but a textbook 1-6-3 double play ended that notion, and West Seminiole came back to score two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game heading into the final inning.

"We're going to regroup as a team," Cannon said. "The good thing about tournament play is you don't have a lot of time to dwell on any one win or loss. We've got to come out and get back to playing our kind of baseball and beat Spring Hill.
"We're not out of this by any means."

Chris Hoffman can be reached at 863-386-5827 or choffman@highlandstoday.com

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