Durant holds off Newsome for Class 7A-6 crown

Durant senior Brett Martin doubled twice in a three-hit, two-RBI game as the Cougars defeated Newsome (813Preps file photo).

By Bob Bellone
Senior Staff Writer

LITHIA – The road to a second consecutive state tournament appearance for the Durant Cougars had to begin this week with successful passage through the campuses of two formidable rivals.

Done.

Fresh off a come-from-behind victory at Plant City on Wednesday, Durant pulled off another one Thursday night with a 7-5 triumph at Newsome in the Class 7A-District 6 championship game.

Top-seeded Newsome (17-6) took its only lead after a shaky start by right-hander Torin Byrnes, who pitched two innings Tuesday at Plant City before the semifinal was suspended by the lingering presence of lightning in the area.

With one out in the first inning Thursday, Byrnes promptly hit Ethan McSpadden with a pitch. The 6-foot-6 senior then delivered a wild pitch between singles by Lucas Phelps and Evan Wainman to fall behind 1-0.

Durant (17-8) had only two hits through four innings against a trio of Newsome right-handers – a Nick April-Gath single and a two-run double by Brett Martin – both during the process of collecting five unearned runs in the third.

Let’s gooooo!!! Rollcougs @813Preps pic.twitter.com/QLjOYrCdXR

— Durant Cougars Baseball (@Baseball_Durant) May 6, 2022

The Wolves finally chased Byrnes in the fifth, when Evan Dempsey and McSpadden singled and eventually scored on an infield error to make it 5-3. Relief pitcher Weston Sanchez got the first out on a fielder’s choice that left two runners in scoring position, then escaped the threat when a failed suicide squeeze attempt turned into a double play.

Durant senior pitcher Torin Byrnes (813Preps file photo).

In the sixth, Newsome cut the deficit to 6-5. Anthony DeVito, who singled in his first two at-bats, drew a walk and moved to second on a two-out single by Dempsey. Both runners scored on a double by McSpadden.

Byrnes was thankful his abbreviated start Tuesday enabled him to return for a season-saving victory two days later.

“Whatever happened with that weather delay,” he said, “it worked out perfectly for us.”

Sharing the spotlight was Martin, who had two doubles and a single in four trips to the plate. The senior third baseman capped his contributions by racing home from second base on a wild pitch for an uplifting insurance run with two down in the seventh.

“I’m so happy for him because he’s such a great kid,” Durant coach Butch Valdes said of his only four-year varsity player. “He’s kind of been in the shadows for a long time and finally came out and (is) doing a heck of a job.”

Rarely in the shadows is standout Cougars catcher Dylan LaPointe, who was typically strong defensively and reached base every time he came up with a single, a double and a pair of walks.

“I feel like we can go all the way back to states again if we keep the high energy we’ve been having,” he said. “We’re swinging the bats well.”

Said Martin: “Last year we won regionals, but we didn’t win the district, so this is a big step.”

Meanwhile, Newsome coach Dick Rohrberg could only hope his Wolves will be deemed worthy of a regional tournament bid (under the FHSAA rankings for region teams, set to be announced on Saturday). With half of their losses coming against the newly crowned district champions, his thoughts returned to a difficult performance to swallow.

“We choked,” he said, citing multiple examples. “We big-time choked tonight.”

Champs pic.twitter.com/Odk8b2PWji

— Durant Cougars Baseball (@Baseball_Durant) May 6, 2022