Plant again tops Windermere 1-0, to reach final four
Plant celebrates after its 1-0, region final win (photo courtesy of Mark Weaver).
By Brandon Wright, Features Writer
-Special thanks to Mark Weaver for providing us with some great photos from this game.
TAMPA – Plant knocked Windermere out of the region playoffs last year, but this season would be different for the Wolverines. The players could be heard chattering about revenge. Their fans hemmed and hawed on every close call. And the Wolverines did not have to face Plant ace Robert Satin.
There was an air of confidence buzzing around the visitor’s side. Heck, even the administrators were planning how to send the team off to states next week.
Plant had other ideas.
Mitchel Doane and Garrett Hill combined to shut out Windermere for the second-straight season and Rocco DeMarinis’ infield single plated the lone run as Plant again ended the Wolverines season with a 1-0 thriller last night in the 7A region final.
“Our guys came out and threw strikes,” Plant coach Dennis Braun said. “They threw a helluva game.”
Panthers junior Mitchel Doane held the Wolverines hitless through 4 1/3 innings, earning the win (photo courtesy of Mark Weaver).
The win sends Plant to the Final Four for the second year in a row and third overall under Braun. It was the first time the Panthers reached back-to-back state semifinals since 1987-88. Braun drew comparisons between this year’s club and the 2009 Panthers, his other team to reach the final four.
“(The ’09 team) could really pitch,” he said. “Obviously, we had (future Major Leaguer Mychal) Givens and two sinker ball guys. But this (year’s) team is a better hitting team. Even though it didn’t look like it tonight.”
But the Panthers did get the key hit when they needed it.
Tanner Swank opened the third with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a James Leach sacrifice bunt. Cash Strayer struck out, but DeMarinis sent a two-strike chopper up the middle that Windermere second baseman had to go to ground to stop. DeMarinis legged it out, just beating the throw to score Swank for the game’s only run.
“It was supposed to be a higher scoring game, but our pitchers came out and did what they were supposed to do,” DeMarinis said. “I just choked up, put the ball in play and good things happened. I just put my head down and ran. It’s great to go back to the Final Four as this team.”
Plant’s Tanner Swank connects on a leadoff double in the third inning. The junior would score the game’s only run on a Rocco DeMarinis infield single (photo courtesy of Mark Weaver).
Plant’s pitching and defense took care of the rest. Doane worked 4 1/3 innings and Hill closed the door from there. The combined shutout came on the heels of Satin’s no-hitter against Lakewood Ranch on Monday. Plant’s (20-7) staff has now gone 16-consecutive innings without allowing a run.
“I really don’t think anyone puts in more hard work than this team,” Hill said. “We are here from Monday through Saturday. There is nothing like this feeling. We earned this.”
Junior Garrett Hill finished out the Plant shutout, allowing just one hit to pick up the save (photo courtesy of Mark Weaver).
But that didn’t come without some tense moments. Doane (no hits, four walks, one strikeout) plunked Osjun Rivas to open the fifth and he reached second on a sacrifice bunt. Enter Hill, who induced a flyball and groundout to end the threat.
“Coming in that fifth inning it was a scary feeling,” Hill said. “Then they got the leadoff double in the sixth. It was intense. I just had to find my way out of it and make pitches.”
Windermere’s (25-4-1) best chance came one inning later. Juan Lopez doubled to lead off the sixth but Hill ran through the middle of the order from there, fanning cleanup hitter Jack Waddingham and forcing a popup to first for the second out. Hill (one hit, two strikeouts) then issued a free pass before ending the rally on a fly ball to shallow center.
“This team has been through a couple things and I think that’s part of what a good team has to do,” Braun said. “And I think it helped them out tonight. There is a lot of belief.”
Plant will face Lake Worth Park Vista next Tuesday in Fort Myers at Hammond Stadium, in the Class 7A state semifinal. The Cobras (22-3-1) defeated Jupiter, 3-1 in Tuesday’s region final.
⚾ Class 7A-Region 2 Final ⚾
Plant 1, Windermere 0
W 000|000|0 – |0|1|1
P 001|000|x – |1|3|0
W – Doane (2-0); L – Feazell (7-1); S – Hill (1)
2B – Lopez (W); Swank (P). Records – W (25-4-1); P (20-7).
