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Dragons Topple Wildcats

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Highlands Today Staff Report

Published: March 25, 2009

WAUCHULA - Perry Mason threw a complete-game three-hitter on Monday to lead the Lake Placid baseball team to a 3-1 victory over Hardee in Green Dragon coach Dan Coomes' first regular-season win over the Wildcats in five years at the helm.

The game was tied at one going into the seventh when the Dragons took advantage of two walks, two singles and scored out a double-steal to take the lead.

Mason allowed just three hits over seven innings, striking out three and allowing three walks to improve LP to 7-7 on the season.

"The kids played solid ball," Coomes said, noting Perry grew stronger as the game went on. "We put the ball in play and took advantage of what we had."

The Dragons host DeSoto at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

BASEBALL: SFCC 12, Manatee 11 (10 innings)
AVON PARK - Matt Devlin knocked a bases-loaded infield single in the bottom of the 10th on Monday to lead the South Florida Community College baseball team to a 12-11 victory over Manatee in a Suncoast Conference thriller at Panther Field.

"It took four hours and 11 minutes according to our scorekeeper, but we got the W," said SFCC coach Rick Hitt. "We talked Sunday in practice about being in a dogfight-type game and it sure was.

"Our guys answered the bell all night - we'd make a mistake, give them some runs, then we'd get them right back."
Ryan Williams was 3-for-5 with two RBI and a home run, Greg Smith was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs and Tom Sicking, Matt Devlin, Chaz Abeln and Austin Gaines had two hits a piece to pace the Panther offense.

Gaines picked up the win on the mound in relief with 3.1 scoreless innings pitched, three Ks and two hits.

"The way you expect your team to respond is how we responded tonight," Hitt said. "Manatee is a very talented club and you have to be able to counter-punch with them in order to beat them, our guys did that tonight."

The Panthers are back in action today at Manatee. See Friday's Highlands Today for result.

The Highlands Today sports department can be reached at 863-386-5841 or sports@highlandstoday.com.

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