Panthers nip OHS, 1-0, in thriller

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Panthers nip OHS, 1-0, in thriller

Sports

Friday, 08 April 2011 15:07

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
Gateway got just one run and one hit Thursday at Osceola High.
They got the win, too.
E.J. Devarie’s eighth-inning, two-out double down the right field line — the first hit surrendered by Kowboys pitcher Drew Heifner — was the game-winner as the Panthers won, 1-0, in an Orange Belt Conference game.
Gateway (13-7) registered its first baseball win at OHS since winning its last district title in 2004. Coach Rob Hammond, who has coached in the county for five years, had never won at Kowboy field.
“Couldn’t beat Murf (former OHS Coach Jim Murphy), he’d small-ball us to death,” Hammond said. “This was a great high school baseball game, and to win like this isn’t that uncommon. I told my kids about the fifth inning that the game would be won or lost on execution and getting bunts down. Heifner changed speeds on us something fierce.”
The story line most of Thursday was the pitching matchup between Gateway’s Anthony Lupa, who threw a no-hitter against East River in the Panther’s first-ever night home game three weeks ago, and Heifner, who looked to do the same.
Heifner retired the first 16 Panthers before issuing a one-out walk in the sixth inning — then starting a 1-6-3 double play to end it.
Neither team got a runner to third base until the top of the seventh. Devarie led off with a walk and stole second. With one out, Osceola (12-6) intentionally walked Juan Rivera, then Heifner hit Jon Maldonado to load the bases. But, in another defensive jolt, infielders Herick Melendez, Edwin Bonilla and Bryce Burton rolled another double play.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Kowboys looked to give Heifner, who struck out five, his no-hit victory when they loaded the bases with one out on two walks and Melendez’s single, but they couldn’t get a hit to end it.
OHS Coach Scott Birchler said Heifner, “pitched his heart out.”
“He’s a competitor and did his job. It was a shame we could not support his effort offensively. It was a great game indeed. Congratulations to Coach Hammond and his players.”
Julio Abreu got aboard to lead off the eighth on an error. Bryan Ojeda got hit by a pitch with one out to move him into scoring position, then with two outs Devarie broke up Heifner’s heroic no-hit bid by lacing a 3-1 pitch to the right side that eluded Burton’s glove, allowing Abreu to score.
Devarie said he was aggressive despite being ahead in the count.
“I was hacking there the whole time,” the Ball State-bound senior said. “It was some sinking pitch, but I knew I got a hold of it. I thought the first baseman would catch it but when he didn’t I started going crazy, because we’ve been looking forward to this game since Monday.”
Alexis Rivera walked to lead off Osceola’s eighth, but was erased on — what else — a game-ending double play, making Lupa the pitching hero of the night with his five-hitter. He struck out three.
“I was begging those guys to get a big hit,” the senior southpaw said. “I knew I had great defense behind me, so I just had to focus on doing what I had to.”
Hammond said Lupa has come from being a mop-up pitcher last year to a key member of the rotation.
“He’s a great story, he’s stepped up big time this year,” Hammond said. “He found his confidence this fall. I wish this was his junior year.”
The Panthers, now 4-0 in the OBC, have won eight in a row. Included in that streak are three wins and the title in South Lake Spring Break tournament, and a 3-1 District 6A-6 win over Treasure Coast Wednesday that was postponed a day by rain. Manny Rivera struck out seven, and Devarie, Randy Batista and Juan Rivera had two hits each.
Gateway plays at Harmony on Tuesday and at St. Cloud April 18. Two more wins give the Panthers the OBC title.
“This was a big conference win,” Hammond said Thursday, “but we have other big ones coming up. Lose one of those and this is a wash so we have to stay focused.”
Osceola has now dropped four in a row counting a 4-3 loss at Sebring on Wednesday in 5A District 5.
The Kowboys play at Winter Haven and Ridge on Thursday and Friday to finish their district schedule before traveling to Harmony on April 18 to complete the OBC schedule. Before all that is Senior Night against St. Cloud on Tuesday.
Tuesday’s Gateway-Harmony game will feature two hot teams. The Longhorns are 12-6 after a slow start, and a 4-1 win over Celebration Thursday was their sixth in a row. Omar Villamon went 3-for-4 with a double, and Tyler Whitney struck out seven.
“It has been an unusual year, but it really has been a lot of fun,” HHS Coach Mike Fields said.
“The kids are young, we start sophomores in the infield and a ninth-grader in left field. We are not world beaters but are getting better each game. Hopefully we can win a few more before it is all over.”
The Longhorns played St. Cloud on Friday, with a win locking up the No. 2 seed in the 4A-6 tournament in three weeks.