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Green Dragons Run Past Panthers

Mark Pinson, Highlands Today

Lake Placid's Colby Delaney takes a pitch during Friday night's district game against Mulberry.

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By MARK PINSON Highlands Today

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 1, 2009

LAKE PLACID - The Lake Placid baseball team turned manufacturing runs into an art form in Friday night's Class 3A-District 10 baseball game against Mulberry.

The Green Dragons managed only four hits, but stole 10 bases and took advantage of shoddy fielding by the Panthers en route to a 14-0 drubbing at Roger Scarborough Stadium.

"We made a lot of base running mistakes in last week's losses to Sebring and Lake Region," said veteran Lake Placid coach Dan Coomes. "We spent three days of practice on the bases and it paid off for us tonight.

"We took advantage of everything Mulberry gave us and you have to do that in these kinds of games where the pitchers are so wild."

Lake Placid got things rolling in the bottom of the first inning against Mulberry right-hander Justin Larue.

Second baseman Logan Smith walked, Brad Stayton was hit by a pitch, David Samperi walked and CW Vought was plunked on the arm to force in Smith.

That was all for Larue as Corey Johnson came on in relief and induced James Whitehead to hit a ball back to the mound.

Johnson threw home to force out Stayton, but Panther catcher David Beckwell's throw to first for the double play sailed down the right-field line allowing two runs to score and Whitehead to reach third base.

Zach Heckman's ground ball to shortstop plated Whitehead for a 4-0 lead without the benefit of a hit.

Lake Placid's Perry Mason struggled with his control in the first two innings, but the right-hander managed to wriggle out of both jams as the Panthers left four men on base.

"I wasn't throwing strikes as much as I would have liked," said Mason. "Getting out of the first two innings without a run scoring was pretty big for us.

"Jumping out to the early lead took a lot of pressure off of me and this was a good way to start the district."

The Dragons broke the game open in the bottom of the second inning.

Stayton reached second on a dropped pop-up, Samperi was hit by a pitch and Vought struck out, but reached first base when the ball got away from the Mulberry catcher.

Several walks, numerous stolen bases and a pair of Panther errors paved the way for a six-run inning to give Lake Placid a commanding 10-0 lead without the aid of a base hit.

Lake Placid, which improved to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in district play, recorded a hit in the third inning and scored a run in the third and three runs in the fourth inning.

That was more than enough for Mason, as the right-hander scattered three hits and struck out two in his five innings of work.

"Perry threw a good game and we used our speed to put pressure on the defense," said Coomes. "We said the mistakes we were making could be corrected and we're not there yet, but we're getting closer."

Lake Placid is back on the diamond with an away game at district rival Frostproof on Tuesday.

Mark Pinson can be reached at 863-386-5837 or mpinson@highlandstoday.com

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