Streaks Rise Up On 'Dogs

Cody Higgins' second pitch of the game was blasted over the right field wall, Kevin Welborn's first two plays at third base were errors and Evan Lewis was fooled in his first plate appearance.

Yes, the Sebring baseball team started decidedly slow against DeSoto on Friday night, but a fast finish by the Streaks led to a decisive 9-5 victory over the Bulldogs at Firemen's Field.

Higgins threw a complete game, Welborn made two diving plays at third in the final half-inning and Lewis finished with two-extra base hits as Sebring scored six runs in the sixth and quickly took control of a game they almost let get away early.

"We're coming out and starting two innings too late," said the sophomore Lewis, who had a triple, double and two runs scored in the nine-hole. "When we were down 4-0, we knew we were still in it and we weren't worried.

"We just knew we had to fight to see what happened."

Higgins, whose second pitch of the game was launched over the right-field fence by Bulldog leadoff hitter Brady Anderson, settled down and went the distance, fanning five and picking up steam during a five-pitch fifth inning.

"I wasn't expecting that," Higgins said of Anderson's shot. "Especially for the kid to turn on the second pitch - I was just trying to get it in there 1-1, and the kid jacked it.

"We were a little stunned and we didn't say much to each other, because I think we were a little knocked back on our heels."

But after scoring twice in the second on a Bulldog error and wild pitch, the Streaks shook off three errors of their own over the first two innings and clamped down, minimizing their mistakes while watching the Bulldogs struggle and finish with five errors.

"We got a few breaks, but we gave them some extra outs early," said Sebring coach Hoppy Rewis. "Sometimes, it takes a few innings to get the adrenaline going and sometimes you're like they are, and start strong but the adrenaline burns out as the game goes on."

The only thing burning in the sixth were the Sebring bats: Down 5-3, the Streaks hammered out four hits and scored six runs, two off the bat of designated hitter Dylan Sanders, who roped a bases-loaded single up the middle to put the game on ice.

"I've been struggling a bit lately, and he threw a change-up that fooled me a little bit, so I just tried to get the ball in play," Sanders said. "When they brought in the third pitcher, I knew he probably wasn't better than they guy we were scoring runs off of, so I was feeling confident."

The uprising suddenly put the Streaks within three outs of victory, and after struggling with the glove in the opening innings, Welborn came through with two defensive gems to close out the game.

"I felt like I owed it to them after I didn't start too hot," Welborn said. "I decided I was just going to smother everything coming to me. So I gave it all my and got on the ground."

Cody Hoffner and Josh Chavis each finished 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Gus Williams scored twice and pinch-hitter Jesse Baker was 1-for-2 with a run scored.

"We swung the bat a little bit toward the end there and quit hitting the ball straight up every time," Rewis said. "We try to start low-key, but we don't want to start four runs in the hole.

"I think we kind of struggled a little bit under pressure. (Higgins) is about the only one that's been there in that situation. The rest are pretty much new to varsity pressure at that level. It's the same game, but it's not the same."

Higgins said the team showed excellent patience at the plate in the late innings, which is something they look to replicate as district play continues at 7 p.m. on Tuesday when Sebring hosts Booker.

"In the sixth, we were being more patient and not going out there and swinging at the first pitch," Higgins said. "We got a few walks and an error here or there, but when you can put the ball in play and put that all together, that's when you pile up the runs."

Welborn said the Streaks need to "come out screaming."

"We've been flat the past couple of games," he said. "We get into a habit of waiting for a spark instead of trying to make one. We need to start jumping on stuff earlier."

UPCOMING PREP BASEBALL SCHEDULE

TUESDAY AP vs. Braden River,

7 p.m.; SHS vs. Booker, 7 p.m.; LP at Frostproof, 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY AP at LaBelle, 7 p.m.; SHS at Clewiston, 7:30 p.m.; LP vs. Evangelical Christian, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY AP vs. Palmetto, 7 p.m.; LP at McKeel, 4 p.m.