Saladino Championship Game Tampa, FL 3/23/07 7:30pm

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Toledo, Hardin Lift Up Alonso
By ADAM ADKINS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Mar 23, 2007

BRANDON - Gaither may have won the one of two meetings with Alonso this year that truly counts when all is said and done, but the Ravens are the ones who still have the chance to claim the unofficial title as Hillsborough County's best team.

Alonso got a good performance from pitcher Tommy Toledo, and designated hitter Nathan Hardin came through with the biggest hit in a five-run third inning as the Ravens ran away with a 9-2 victory against Gaither in a Saladino Tournament semifinal Thursday at Brandon.

The victory advanced the Ravens into tonight's tournament championship against Newsome, and somewhat helped them avenge a Class 6A-Distrcit 7 loss to the Cowboys a week earlier.

With Alonso nursing a 3-1 lead in the third, Hardin broke the game open after Gaither starter Eric Doty lost his control. Doty already had hit two batters in the inning (he hit five in the game) and had just yielded a bases-loaded walk to Ray Delphey IV when Hardin turned on a low fastball and snuck it just inside first base. It ended up as a three-run triple for Hardin, and it left Gaither coach Frank Permuy perplexed at what had just unfolded.

"I don't know how he hit it," Permuy said. "It was a hell of a pitch."

Alonso coach Landy Faedo said it looked like a similar pitch Hardin took for strike three in his first at-bat, and the Ravens' coach was happy his junior left-hander made the adjustment the next time up.

"That time, he was a little more aggressive and he went for it and got it," Faedo said.

The big inning proved a huge boost for Toledo. The Florida-bound right-hander went the distance to pick up the victory, bouncing back after a slow start in which he allowed a run in the first and had to work out of a second-and-third, one-out situation in the second to prevent Gaither from taking control.

"In the last couple of starts he's had, he hasn't been as crisp in the beginning. But he battles, and when guys get on base he makes the pitches that he has to make to keep them from scoring," Faedo said.

Once the Ravens gave Toledo the big lead, he got stingy. He scattered four hits over the final five innings (he allowed six total) and allowed only one more run, on Derek Heiser's RBI single in the fourth.

"That's why he's Toledo," Permuy said. "When the going gets tough, he gets tougher."

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Determined Branca Does It All For Wolves
By BART O'CONNELL Tribune correspondent

Published: Mar 23, 2007

BRANDON - Stephen Branca's assignment in the Saladino Tournament semifinals didn't seem fair.

Having never started a game on the mound in his life, the Newsome senior was asked to shut down defending champion Hillsborough's potent offense. What he lacked in pitching experience, however, he made up for in determination, leadership and sheer adrenaline.

Branca pitched a complete-game five-hitter, striking out the last three Terriers for a 5-3 victory. The performance advanced the fourth-year school to its first Saladino final, where it will play Alonso tonight.

"He's a competitor. At this level that's 80 percent of what you do," said Wolves coach Chad Haschel of Branca. "All of our kids are. They hate to lose. We had no doubt he could do it."

"I didn't try to overpower anybody," Branca said. "I relied on my teammates. We've got a great team here and they picked me up."

After giving up a leadoff single to Marco LaMonte, who later scored, Branca retired the next six Terriers. The rest of the Wolves (12-4) got him a lead with the same aggressive play that carried them to a quarterfinal win against Riverview, stealing another eight bases Thursday.

Senior Matt Greer got things started with a walk and two steals. Then David Jackson bashed a run-scoring triple down the left-field line to tie the game. Jackson would score on a fielder's choice by Jake Farley, and No. 9 hitter Mike Petrilli singled, stole second and made it all the way home on a throwing error to cap a three-run inning against Terriers (12-4) starter Joey Delgado.

After an RBI single by Hillsborough's Casey Nunez in the third, Newsome responded by scoring two runs with two outs in the fifth, thanks to run-scoring singles by Branca and Kyle Copak, who both went 2-for-4.

"That gave us a little bit of breathing room, because they were coming back with some of their studs," Haschel said.

In the sixth, the Terriers got hits from Keith Diaz and Michael Burgess to start the inning, but after Diaz scored, Branca retired the next two hitters to maintain the lead. Though he was reluctant to take credit for the victory, Branca provided his own ending by striking out the side in the seventh. The last five hitters in Hillsborough's lineup went 0-for-12 with three walks.

"It means everything," Branca said of the win. "We haven't had 11 wins in the regular season, and we've got 12 now. This is great for us, and I'm just happy for my team."

Here is what I am thinking for tonight's game:

Alonso will probably throw lefty Alex Panteliodis and Newsome will probably pitch by committee tonight.

Alonso Hitters:

UF Signee Tommy Toledo will lead the charge for the Ravens with Chris Freshcorn, Alex Panteliodis, Nathan Hardin, Ray Delphy IV, Adam Pendleton and Sherman Johnson close behind.

Newsome Hitters:

Stephen Branca, Ryan Osenton, Kyle Copack, Matt Greer, Duston Pachoud, and Mike Petrilli will lead the Newsome Flying Circus for the Wolves at the plate and on the bases.

Newsome (12-4) has surpised a lot a teams in the Saladino Tournament and has only lost one game in the tourney to Bloomingdale 6-3 and upended the Hillsbourgh Terriers 5-3 in the Semi Finals

Alonso (13-3) is 4-1 in the tournament with the only loss to East Bay 4-3.

I prepared for a Hillsbourgh/Alonso Championship game, now the Newsome Wolves have thrown that out the window!!

Who will win the 2007 Tony Saladino Tournament Championship?

You will have to find out tonight on http://www.floridacast.com

One thing is for sure. Newsome and Alonso will battle to the bitter end and leave everything on the Brandon High School baseball field to capture one of the biggest championships in Florida, the 27th Annual Tony Saladino Tournament Championship!!!

Talk to you all from Brandon High School in Brandon, FL tonight on Floridacast.com!!!!

Steve Schwarze

Great game. Great pitching.

Alonso 4 , Newsome 1

Three errors by Newsome turned the game.



ALONSO RAVENS 2007 SALADINO CHAMPIONS