Kowboys baseball hot after week off

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Kowboys baseball hot after week off

Sports

Saturday, 20 March 2010 01:12

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
Rain, rain, go away ...
And take the FCAT with you. By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
Rain, rain, go away ...
And take the FCAT with you.
Last week’s early-week testing and late-week lousy weather, followed by this week’s heavy district schedule, meant the county’s baseball teams went from looking out the window at the ballfield one week to standing on it up to four times the next.
Osceola, who went 10 days between games, maybe needed the layoff. The Kowboys (7-3) knocked off previously undefeated Cypress Creek, 10-8 on Tuesday, powered by Ramon Cedeno’s grand slam and Peter Calilao’s three-run shot.
On Wednesday, OHS picked up a 5A District 5 win over Haines City, 11-2. Edwin Rios led a balanced attack with three hits and two RBI, and Drew Heifner fired six innings to get the win.
On Thursday, the team knocked off Lipscomb, Tenn., 9-4, forming its second three-game win streak of the year.
Adbel Rivera pitched the Kowboys to the win with six strikeouts in five innings of work. Edwin Bonilla and Matthew Rodriguez (two doubles) led the offense with two hits and an RBI each.
OHS Coach Nick James said his young team has shown some incredible focus over the last two weeks.
It’s tough taking a week off, especially for the pitchers,” he said. “You’ve just got to do as much game simulation and situational practice in order to keep your team in the rhythm of the season.”
The Kowboys closed the week on Friday with a key 5A-5 game against Ridge.
Liberty, the Kowboys first opponent of next week, snapped a three-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 6-3 win over Lake Wales in 5A-5 play. Trailing 3-1, Johnny Maslanka’s two-run homer in the fifth inning tied it, then RBI hits by Jared Murphy and Johnny Maslanka put the Chargers (7-4) up for good.
The Chargers host the Kowboys on Tuesday.
Gateway also bounced back well after a 12-day layoff. The Panthers (4-5) got a four-hit shutout from Manny Rivera, a two-run double from catcher Jose Cruz and a double and home run from Juan Rivera in a 4-0 win Wednesday over District 6A-6 foe Palm Bay Bayside.
“The team played excellent defense behind (Manny),” GHS Coach Rob Hammond said.
The Panthers played a 6A-6 at home Friday afternoon against Treasure Coast.
Not all the news is good. St. Cloud (2-4) has gone the other way, dropping a 10-0 decision to District 4A-6 opponent Tavares on Tuesday then a 6-5 heartbreaker Wednesday against All Saints after the Bulldogs took a 4-0 first-inning lead.
St. Cloud will try to bounce back on Tuesday, hosting Celebration (1-6) at 7 p.m. in a game that counts in 4A-6 and the Orange Belt Conference.
Osceola (2-0), Liberty (3-1) and St. Cloud (1-1) lead the OBC standings.
Harmony (4-5) got eight innings from JV call-up Mike Rodriguez in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over First Academy. Alex Gonzalez collected two hits.
The Longhorns play their final two 4A-6 games next week, hosting Oak Ridge on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and traveling to Eustis on Thursday at 7 p.m.