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Sebring Smashes To Victory

DeRoss’ Solo Homer Ignites Win Over LP

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Sebring’s Garrett DeRoss is mobbed at home plate by teammates on Monday after hitting a solo homer in the second inning of the Dixie Youth Majors (ages 10-12) "O" Zone District 8 tournament at Lake June Recreational Complex.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: June 18, 2008

LAKE PLACID — Garrett DeRoss looked over at his teammate in frustration as he watched ball four duck into the catcher's mitt.

DeRoss was given first base after his second intentional walk of the inning, but his Sebring teammates made Lake Placid pay for their generosity.

Sebring erupted for seven runs in the game-changing fourth inning, as the boys in blue defeated host Lake Placid 13-4 in the opening game of the two-team Dixie Youth Majors (ages 10-12) "O" Zone District 8 tournament at Lake June Recreational Complex.

Even with the win, DeRoss felt a little cheated out of his chance to hit the ball, but Sebring head coach Charlie White had a perfect explanation.

"That's what he gets for hitting a home run on his first pitch of the game," White said. "I told him not to worry too much about it. When you're at this level and they intentionally walk you, that's a sign of respect."

DeRoss put the first run on the board by blistering a first-pitch fastball in the second inning off the top of the right field fence for round-trip around the bases. Then, with Sebring down by a run, saw Lake Placid intentionally walk him with one on to his astonishment two innings later.

"I was really aggravated when they walked me," DeRoss said. "I wanted my chance to bat, but my teammates had my back."

Four Sebring players were members of the team that competed in last week's Cooperstown Dreams Park National Invitational Tournament in Cooperstown, NY.

When asked if the players were road-weary, DeRoss was quick with a comeback.

"We're just getting started," DeRoss said. "I don't know about all my teammates, but I love to play baseball. It was great to play in that tournament, but we're focused on winning this tournament and moving on to state."

First baseman Chris Hensley got the fourth started right for Sebring with an RBI single into right that scored Ty Little from second. After intentionally walking DeRoss, Lake Placid's control problems saw the host team walk back-to-back batters to drive in a run and a passed ball allowed Jacob Hamilton to slide safely into home.

One batter later, another walk plated a run and Ely White belted a run-scoring single into left that scored Jonathan Struck from third. In Little's second at-bat of the inning, his blooper into center scored Tyler Bertoniere and Santos Bencomo for an 8-1 lead.

DeRoss was walked for the second time that loaded the bases, but LP got a strike out to finally end the inning.

"I thought the kids really were patient at the plate during the fourth," White said. "We weren't swinging at anything wild or out of the strike zone."

After holding Lake Placid scoreless, Sebring looked to be back on the scoring bandwagon yet again in the fifth, but Tyler Carr was the catalyst of a beautiful 6-4-3 double-play to halt Sebring in its tracks.

But Sebring was back to its scoring ways in the sixth, when they scored five runs on three hits and two walks.

White scored when a he beat the throw home during a fielder's choice play by Lake Placid and Hamilton's infield hit plated Little and Joey Staffieri scored DeRoss on a grounder before Ryan Davidson's single into center field scored two for a 13-1 lead.

Lake Placid's offense showed flashes of brilliance, putting up eight hits and drawing five walks against Sebring, but they couldn't put that big inning together.

Down 1-0 in the first, Lake Placid's offense stormed back in the home half of the second when Josh Montero singled into left, advanced to second on a ground-out, stole third and then slide into home after a Sebring wild pitch to tie the game. After Coby Ming's walk, Justin Mason hit a seeing-eye single into the gap in center to score Ming and give Lake Placid a 2-1 lead.

Lake Placid rallied to score two runs in the sixth when Heath Harris scored on a Sebring fielding miscue and Cole Russell single up the middle to plate Justin LaRosa, but DeRoss closed the door on a comeback on a strike out and pop up to end the game.

"I think this was a pretty good game considering we've only had two practices as a whole since the AAU kids came back on Friday," White said. "But this team is all about chemistry. They all work well together and know each other so well. That translates to their play on the field."

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