RIDGE MANOR – Throughout its history, Ridge Manor Dixie Baseball has struggled to overcome the obstacles that plague such a small program.
That’s why even in losing the AAA Majors (age 11-12) All-Stars District 6 Tournament final on Thursday night at Ridge Manor Community Park, 19-0 in three innings against a loaded South Sumter squad, the host team had plenty to celebrate.
As the district runner-up, this Ridge Manor team became the first in league history to earn its way to a state tournament. All previous state appearances came via automatic berths.
Thanks to what it did on the field over the six-day, double-elimination event, Ridge Manor will compete in the AAA Majors State Tournament in East Lakeland starting July 8.
“I’ve been trying to do it for a long time, for about 10 years now,” Ridge Manor AAA Majors head coach Danny Smith said. “Last year I took these same guys to the Minors (district) tournament and it was awful, of course. But they’ve come back this year better, and we got in the right bracket system and got second.
“Lot of heart. Lot of good talent for rec ball, good talent for this area, for what we are. We’re not a travel ball (team), we’re just a regular rec-ball system. All these kids, there’s a couple 9-year-olds on this team, they played their hearts out. They’re better than most of my 12-year-olds.”
Ridge Manor began the tournament on Saturday with a 9-5 win over San Antonio, and followed with a 13-3 thumping of Oak Griner on Monday.
Then the county crew ran into the powerhouse South Sumter, first on Tuesday in a 24-0 loss. The Bushnell-based team went on to knock out Brooksville on Wednesday night, 10-5, to stay unbeaten and set up a rematch with Ridge Manor.
The first seven South Sumter batters reached base and scored in the top of the first on Thursday, before Bryce Saltsman came on in relief and retired the next three hitters.
South Sumter got a two-run home run out of Jayven Caine in the second and exploded for 10 runs in the third, highlighted by a three-run bomb off the bat of Michael Savarese.
J.R. Florez walked to lead off the bottom of the third, representing Ridge Manor’s first baserunner, and the next batter, Timothy Kelly, was walked intentionally. Savarese, though, fanned the next three to complete a no-hitter in which eight of the nine outs were recorded by strikeout.
Afterward, Smith and his coaching staff expressed considerable frustration with South Sumter, believing it to be a year-round travel ball club taking advantage of less-seasoned and overmatched competition.
Nevertheless, both teams collected trophies and are bound for states next month. Smith credited his pitching, particularly Bryce Saltsman and Kelly. Center fielder Joseph “Bubba” Stosh paced the offense.
“All my kids are good,” Smith said. “I took them and traveled with them around in the spring, just went to other local places to play ball with other teams, and they did good and they won in a little tournament.
“It means a lot. A lot of people would be proud about this because it’s never been done.”
Brooksville, helmed by Hernando High softball head coach Kevin Bittinger, went 2-2 and are hoping to garner an invitation to states. After losing to South Sumter on Saturday, 14-4, Brooksville bounced back with a 20-0 drubbing of San Antonio on Monday and a 27-0 blowout victory versus Oak Griner on Tuesday.
Follow Chris Bernhardt Jr. on Twitter @cpbernhardjr.