Philly gets back in Division 5-3A race

By By Jeff Byrd/sports editor
March 29, 2003
Needing a win to get back into the Division 5-3A race, the Philadelphia Tornadoes got one Friday night at Collinsville.
The Tornadoes ripped division-leading West Lauderdale 9-4 on the Knights' home field. Even more surprising, was that the nine runs came against Knight standout pitcher Jamie Fontan who already owns two no-hitters this season.
Philadelphia, though, used an effective mix of bunts and long-ball to rattle Fontan and the Knights.
Three bunt hits in the first two at bats followed later by a huge, three-run blast from Jawarrick Hartzog got Philadelphia out to a 5-0 lead.
That proved to be enough for Philly starter Jonathan Booker, who despite allowing 12 Knight base-runners, kept West Lauderdale off the board until a four-run outburst in the sixth. By then, West was already in a 9-0 hole.
The loss was West's first in Division 5-3A action. They are now 6-1 in the division and 10-5 overall.
Philadelphia, which lost to Southeast Lauderdale on Tuesday, is now 6-2 in the division and 13-5 overall.
The big 9-0 lead came as a surprise even to Philly head coach Scott Hill.
Hartzog's three-run blast in the second made it 5-0. He finished 3-for-4 and had three RBIs.
Booker, meanwhile, scatttered six hits and struck out 12. The Philly defense also came up huge.
Catcher Jonathan Holland threw out West's Bo Davis in the first inning on an attempted steal of third. The punch-out would cost the Knights a run because Trent Posey followed it with a double to center.
Then in the fourth inning, the Knights, still down 5-0, loaded the bases following an error, a walk and a hit batsman. Randy Dively appeared to hit the ball on the nose with a base-hit to right, but Hartzog made a shoe-string catch for the third out denying West a chance to get back in the game.
The Tornadoes then got a leadoff home run by Cameron Tawater to make it 6-0. Back-to-back doubles from Tyler Rounsaville and Holland produced the seventh run for a 7-0 lead.
Philly got two more in the sixth off Knight reliever Justin Gentry. Tawater doubled in Hartzog following his third hit while Booker aided his cause with a RBI single to score Tawater for a 9-0 lead.
West finally got to Booker in the sixth. Jay Warren, Cody Powell and Davis all reached to start the at bat.
Following an outfield fielders-choice that scored Warren, Delta State signee Trent Posey crushed a Booker fast-ball for a mammoth three-run shot. The homer made it 9-4.
Booker bounced back retiring the last five Knight batters in a row.
West coach Jerry Boatner was disappointed in his team's defense.
Posey's double and home run helped pace the Knights.