PLANT CITY – With a couple tough assignments in his previous starts, Alonso sophomore pitcher Marc DeGusipe had produced solid work in tight losses against Jesuit in the Saladino Tournament final and a five-plus inning effort against Plant earlier in the season.

Making just his third start of the year on the road Saturday afternoon at Plant City, DeGusipe gave up a leadoff single to Cade Shissler and saw a few fielder’s choices let runners find the bases. But the Ravens defense tightened things and got out of the early jam. From there, DeGusipe cruised through five, shutout innings allowing just two hits and walking a pair in the 6-1 win, and earned the lefty his first win on the mound.

The Ravens added two more as Andrew Lara flicked a two-strike, liner single to right-center, and one more as Nick Gonzalez plated one on an RBI groundout.

“When we get Marc those runs in the first couple of innings he has more confidence, throws more strikes,” Lara said of the offense supporting DeGusipe’s strong work on the mound.

Ravens senior and University of Florida signee Jordan Butler blasted a deep fly to centerfield for a two-run double to add some insurance scoring Jose Ciccarello (2-for-4) and Lara, who had both singled.

Butler now has 29 RBI on the season.

Plant City (9-11) sophomore Parker Messick was tagged with the loss allowing six runs (two earned), striking out three in four innings of work.

Junior TJ Gayner worked the final three innings on the mound not allowing a hit and striking out a pair.

The Raiders scratched one run across in the sixth as Dalton
Wingo took a pitch to the helmet to leadoff the inning, moved around and eventually scored as JJ Gonzalez singled him in.

Defensively, Plant City had a solid combination in the fifth
starting with a double-play fielded by JJ Gonzalez as short, on to Jarod Wingo at second, who made a nice turn and bullet throw on to Brandon Young at first.

The third out saw some nice range from Shissler fielding the ball at third and throwing across for the out.

For the Ravens, Lara (who was 2-for-3, with two RBI and a run scored) made a diving play in right for the first out of the bottom of the third, and the inning ended as a runner advanced to third on a steal and Ravens catcher Scott Meitzler faked to get the runner and gunned a laser to first to catch the runner off the base.