By Don Trello
The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent
Land O’ Lakes senior leadoff hitter Dylan Harris picked up a walk-off single in the eighth inning to lead his squad over visiting River Ridge 8-7 in extra innings in a Class 6A-District 10 contest April 5.
The Gators improved to 16-2 overall and finished district play with a perfect 8-0 record, while the Royal Knights dropped to 10-9, 2-4 in 6A-10.
“We’ve won five or six games in our last at-bat,” said Land O’ Lakes coach Calvin Baisley. “This team has a lot of character.”
Harris, a St. Leo University signee, singled home courtesy runner Zach Neely with two outs in the bottom of the eighth for the win.
Gators catcher Nathan Grant walked to start the eighth inning and Neely replaced him on the bases. Austin Connor struck out, but Connor Stephens walked sending Neely to second base, setting the stage for Harris.
“He threw me a curveball for a strike on the first pitch, and I was sitting on a curve,” said Harris, who knocked the second pitch into left field to score Neely. “We’ve been coming back the whole year. It would be nice to have the lead.”
Harris started the game at shortstop, moved to third base, and then pitched the eighth inning in place of reliever Josh Nissen.
“He’s a gamer,” said Baisley of Harris’ game-winning hit. “He gave me the sign that he wanted to bunt, but he’s the guy you want up there (swinging) in that situation.”
Harris also was the winning pitcher. He struck out two and allowed one hit in his first mound appearance of the season.
“He hasn’t thrown in a game because I need him in the field, but he knew it was coming,” Baisley said. “Harris pitched last year and has a nice breaking ball. He is a competitor who knows what he’s doing.”
Land O’ Lakes sophomore outfielder Alex Reynolds had two hits and three RBI, including a single with one out that scored Harris to tie the score 7-7 in the seventh inning.
Harris walked and went to second on a wild pitch before Nissen’s sacrifice bunt sent him to third with Reynolds coming to the plate.
“I knew I didn’t want to get behind in the count,” Reynolds said. “I knew he had good off-speed stuff, but I hit a fastball. … I just look for my pitch. If I get a strike, I at least make contact and put it in play.”
The Gators took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Nissen reached with a bunt single, stole second and scored on Reynolds’ base hit off River Ridge starting pitcher Tyler Hawks.
River Ridge plated two runs to take a 2-1 lead in the third inning without getting a hit off Land O’ Lakes starter Zach Whitaker, who walked two batters and had three wild pitches in the frame.
“Our defense was sloppy, and that’s one of our strengths,” said Baisley, whose team committed four errors. “I wasn’t satisfied.”
Brett Renner relieved Whitaker to start the fourth and allowed four hits and four runs before Nissen relieved him with no outs.
Nissen allowed one unearned run, then held River Ridge scoreless until Harris relieved to start the eighth inning.
“Nissen is our closer, and I wasn’t planning on bringing him in, but we were in a jam,” Baisley said. “His ball has got movement, and he gets a lot of groundballs.”
The Gators used four hits and one error to score four runs in the fourth inning. Grant, Connor and Stephens each had RBI singles in the frame.
The Gators played at Ridgewood April 8, but results were not available by press time. They host Wiregrass Ranch April 10 at 7 p.m.
