From the Fort Myers News-Press, by Sports Writer Donnie Wilke:

"With the home team leading 7-2 on Thursday night and needing only three outs to guarantee itself a home game in next week's Class 3A regionals, Bishop Verot public-address announcer Bill Bell read the names of the Vikings' seven seniors — as if it were their last game on campus.It almost was.Sarasota Cardinal Mooney rallied for five runs to tie the game, only the latest in a calamitous string of late-inning Verot collapses, but Brennan Whitley — one of the seniors — drilled a bases-loaded single to center field in the bottom of the seventh to give the Vikings an 8-7 win and the District 3A-12 title.

"That's been our MO (mode of operation) this season, our Achilles' heel," said Verot coach Tom Losauro, "giving up the big inning and losing leads that took many innings to accumulate."But tonight we came back and played competitively in the bottom of (the seventh), and good things happened for us."

Mooney reliever Brian Dillon walked Josh Koze, who earlier had homered, and, after a failed sacrifice bunt, Josh Hinkle doubled to right-center to move Anthony Vlahovic to third. Craig Toggweiler was intentionally walked, setting up Whitley's title-clinching hit on Dillon's first pitch. It was Whitley's first swing with a newly purchased bat. Ryan Schmidt started the seventh-inning rally for Mooney (17-9) by doubling to right field with one out. Jamie Smith walked, and Schmidt scored on Chris Cowart's single to left. Jace Brown reached on a botched ground ball that scored Smith, before Hunter Ovens lined a two-run single past diving shortstop Austin Flores.

Jamie Jackson struck out, but T.J. Kwarcinski tied the game with a single up the middle. Whitley relieved Matthew Inge, who was touched for four hits and five runs — three of them earned — in one inning, and needed only one pitch to get Steve Fuchs to pop out in foul ground behind first base.

Bishop Verot (11-14) will play host to the 3A-11 runner-up Tuesday night. "This will take us into next week," said Whitley. "Hopefully, we have some momentum now and we've got two pretty good pitchers." Seven of Verot's 12 hits were for extra bases, including homers by Koza, Darrin Jones and Josh Hinkle. "


-R

P.S. In a less important game occurring in Evanston, IL, the Seabury Saints garnered another win via forfeiture, pushing them to a stunning 4-0 record. After the game, many of the players were making buzzing sounds that sounded like hair clippers. Senior player Ryan Whitley refused comment, apparently distressed that this win came off a forfeiture.