BROOKSVILLE – In four Farm Bureau Classic games this week, Springstead allowed a combined total of six runs.
No question then that the Eagles finished with the championship trophy in hand on the strength of their pitching staff. Yet the hurler deemed most valuable didn’t start a single contest.
Senior Dominic Marrone may not have recorded the first outs for Springstead, but he was on the mound for the final one throughout the entire tournament. For that, he was awarded MVP honors.
“It feels really good, actually; exciting. I think this is my first-ever award like that,” Marrone said. “I think I pitched pretty good. Did my best to give my team the best shot to win. That’s about it.
“Stayed tough. Had the right mindset before every game. Good preparation and just taking care of myself.”
In four appearances over the course of four games in five nights, the 5-foot-10, 220-pound right-hander threw seven innings, giving up seven hits, two runs (one earned) and two walks while striking out six.
On Monday, he went one inning with a pair of strikeouts to finish off a 7-1 win over Fivay. The next night, he tossed two frames, yielding two hits and a walk, fanning two batters in a 7-2 triumph over Mitchell.
He earned a win in Thursday night’s come-from-behind 2-1 semifinal victory versus Land O’ Lakes, having pitched the last two innings where he gave up an unearned run on two hits, notching two more strikeouts.
Friday night’s finale saw him come on in relief after an excellent effort from spot starter Kevin Tomas to start the bottom of the sixth inning. Though he would give up a run on three hits and a walk over the final two innings, Marrone twice escaped trouble with the go-ahead run at the plate to record the save.
“Just take my time, take a deep breath, focus, and just throw strikes and let my defense work behind me,” Marrone said.
For the season, Marrone is 3-0 with a 2.67 earned run average and three saves. Over 18.1 innings, he has whiffed 14 batters.
“Just can come in and close two innings and get the job done, no matter what the score was or where we were,” Springstead head coach Shawn Laferty said. “Just confidence on the mound and being able to throw the pitches. Being with me, I know what he’s capable of doing. That’s the key to putting someone in a bad situation.
“It’s very valuable. That’s the key in these close games, to bring somebody in, in those bad situations, to get the job done.”
At 12-2 overall, Marrone and the Eagles believe they have the talent and momentum to build toward another strong postseason run. Even on a team rich in quality starters, Marrone figures to keep playing a vital role going forward.
“It’s huge. It helps build up toward the rest of the season. Hopefully it’s just the next step in our success,” Marrone said. “I think we’re doing a lot better than we thought. Right now, I think we’ve got a good shot of going all the way.”
Follow Chris Bernhardt Jr. on Twitter @cpbernhardtjr.