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5A-10: Plant dispatches Chamberlain

By Eduardo A. Encina, Times Staff Writer
In print: Saturday, April 26, 2008

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TAMPA — The butterflies were gone, they finally exhaled, and the Plant Panthers could finally go back to playing baseball.

A night after Plant overcame past disappointments to give seniors their first region berth, the Panthers took the next step forward, winning a district crown with a 5-0 victory over Chamberlain on Friday night.

"We have five seniors who have been here for all four years," Plant coach Dennis Braun said. "They've been through the same (stuff) I've been through. So to shut that up and move on was a good thing."

Junior Mychal Givens continued an outstanding season on the mound, throwing a complete-game two-hit shutout. Givens didn't allow a hit after Mike Granda's one-out single in the fourth.

"It felt a little different tonight, especially since we hadn't got past districts in so many years," Givens said. "It felt easier today."

Givens also contributed at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, including a runs-scoring single in Plant's two-run fifth that broke a scoreless tie.

After leftfielder Jake Lowe lead off the fifth with a double, shortstop Graham Ramos bunted for a base hit to put runners at the corners. No. 9 hitter Connor Mitchell drove in the first run with an infield single to shortstop and Givens' RBI single made it 2-0.

"What hurt us was the bunt when we didn't get the out," Chamberlain coach Dick Rohrberg said. "We were okay with one run, but we didn't want to give two or three. We tried to make to perfect a play."

The Panthers (23-3) added three runs with two outs in the sixth. Chamberlain (12-13) stranded a runner at third in the first, but never got past second base the rest of the game, partially helped by double plays in the second and third innings.