Published: July 19, 2007 04:53 pm            

Late heroics lift U/12 Dawgs into state title game

The Corsicana Dawgs coaching staff gave Daniel Donoho the green light on the base path, and he ran with it. Literally.

Donoho used one pitch to steal second, the next to take third base and was able to trot home on an errant overthrow by the Cleburne Sheet Metal Reds catcher on the throwdown. Donoho’s run gave the Dawgs the 7-6 victory in the semifinal game at the PONY State Tournament in Cleburne, Wednesday.

“Daniel can fly. He can really fly,” coach Whoa Dill said.

Before Donoho could make his way around the base path, Heath Donica came on to pitch in relief in the sixth inning and gave up no hits to hold Cleburne scoreless through three innings.

Dill said Donica’s effort kept the Dawgs alive, along with Holden Grounds who came in and pitched out of a bases-loaded situation.

Despite pitching from a Cleburne player that Dill said through an adult equivalent of 95 mph, the Dawgs (8-0) had five hits to the Reds’ seven.

The Dawgs will play in the PONY State Championship game at 7 p.m., Friday in Cleburne for a shot at advancing to a tournament on the national stage in Florida. Since it is a double-elimination tournament, the Dawgs go into the title game unscratched.



Corsicana 7, Cleburne 6

Cleburne 210 300 00 — 6 7 4

Corsicana 001 410 01 — 7 5 2

WP — Heath Donica.

Leading Hitters — C: Holden Grounds (single, double), Nic Shimonek (single), Donica (single), Daniel Donoho (single)

Records — Corsicana (8-0).

        

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