Sports
Inconsistent Crusaders Aim for Late Season Diamond Push
Despite an experienced, senior-laden team, it hasn't all clicked yet for Tampa Catholic High School.
It hasn’t been the season Pat Russo or his Tampa Catholic baseball team envisioned. But with a quarter of the season still to play, plus the district playoffs, Russo thinks his team will be heard from before the last out is made this season.
There’s no getting around TC’s 8-10 record as anything but disappointing. However, a closer look reveals six one-run losses and several calls that could have gone the other way. Still, Russo said it’s been a season of fits and starts, one step forward, two steps back; a roller coaster that includes a seven game winning streak earlier in the year and a current three-game losing slide.
“The toughest thing for our kids is that they’re winners, and losing those six one-run games has been tough,” Russo said. “We’ve had games where we pitch good and don’t hit; we hit good and don’t pitch. We just haven’t had that good game yet.”
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Stats won’t tell much of the story because some of the Crusaders have gaudy pitching and hitting numbers more reflective of a winning record. And they’ve proven they can defeat good clubs such as Dunedin, Jacksonville Bolles and Clearwater Central Catholic.
Seniors Derek Martin (4-0, 0.93 ERA) and Nick Sucarichi (3-2, 1.81 ERA) have held up their end on the mound. Nick Perez (.462 average), Paulie Russo (.591) and Cam Alford (.385) have led the offense. But again, those close losses tell the real tale.
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Russo said he doesn’t sense a loss of confidence. And he expects one more good stretch that hopefully extends well into the postseason.
“Seven of the nine starters started in the state semifinals last year,” he said. “We have tremendous team leaders that have done a great job. It hasn’t all clicked, but we haven’t gotten down. There’s no doubt we have that ability. Every time we play I think that we have a chance to win.”
The Crusaders finished 3-2 in Class 3A-District 10 and will play St. Pete Catholic in a first round district game. But the districts are three weeks away, giving TC a chance to build momentum.
Another boost may come from the return of senior catcher Gio Marrero, who missed three weeks earlier this season due to disciplinary problems.