Durant blanks Sarasota behind Rowland’s pitching gem
Durant sophomore Blaine Rowland struck out 10, allowing just three hits and a walk to lead the Cougars to a region quarterfinal win against Sarasota (813Preps file photo).
By Bob Bellone
Senior Staff Writer
PLANT CITY – Blaine Rowland was one out shy of a complete-game shutout when a 95-pitch limit interrupted his 4-0 victory against Sarasota in a Class 7A region quarterfinal Tuesday night.
The sophomore right-hander was all smiles as he received a hero’s welcome from teammates on his way back to the dugout, from which relief pitcher Gavin Florio emerged to finish the job with a strikeout.
“It was a little frustrating,” Rowland said of his forced exit, “but you know who’s coming in behind you, and you’ve got to trust them. I had 100 percent confidence in Florio. I knew he would get it done.”
Rowland lasted longer than expected with the pregame plan calling for him to split the mound chores with senior Torin Byrnes, which would have preserved his eligibility to pitch in Friday’s semifinal at top-seeded Windermere (24-3).
“Sarasota, they swing the bat,” Cougars coach Butch Valdes said, “so I didn’t want to take the chance. You’ve got to guarantee today to get to tomorrow.”
Rowland, who struck out 10 batters and walked one, got all the offensive support he would need when Durant (18-8) scored twice in the first inning. Dylan LaPointe and Carlos Morales singled with two out, and Brett Martin drove them home with a triple just beyond the reach of diving outfielder Luke Binswanger in left center.
“I saw the dive,” Martin said. “He was flying over there.”
Morales had another base hit in the third inning, then advanced to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball. Florio, in the designated hitter role, delivered him with a two-out single to make it 3-0.
The Cougars closed the scoring in impressive fashion in the fourth, when Devin Suero singled with one out, raced all the way to third on a passed ball and crossed the plate on an infield groundout.
Durant’s fifth consecutive victory dispatched a storied program with eight state championships and two national titles to its credit.
“Our guy Blaine did a really, really good job. I’m so proud of him tonight,” Morales said. “He did his job and I know I had to do mine, and my other teammates did theirs, too. So, it all worked out. We’ve got to keep it rolling.”
⚾ Class 7A-Region 2 Qtr ⚾
Durant 4
Sarasota 0
S 000|000|0 – |0|3|0
D 201|100|x – |4|9|1
W – Rowland; L – Barnes
3B – Martin (D). Records – S (18-8); D (18-8).
