Buffalo Creek rallies past Lakewood Ranch to win Little League district

The first deficit the Buffalo Creek Little League All-Stars faced in the majors division of Florida’s District 26 Little League Baseball tournament was a substantial one.

A shaky opening inning by Luke Donley left Buffalo Creek Little League in a four-run hole against the Lakewood Ranch Little League All-Stars before Buffalo Creek came up to bat a second time.

Dave Eatman has maintained the bottom of Buffalo Creek’s lineup is dangerous, and it delivered Saturday in the bottom of the second. Jeremayah Martinez, batting ninth, hit a grand slam that tied the game and changed the tide in Buffalo Creek’s favor to start an 11-6, come-from-behind victory at Buffalo Creek Park.

“That was a momentum-changer,” Eatman said.

Buffalo Creek used its offense to carry the day throughout the week of play in Palmetto, and the team’s bats secured a trip to the Section IV tournament later this month being hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Little League.

Buffalo Creek will begin the section tournament July 14 against the Dade City Little League All-Stars from District 25. The Dade City Little League All-Stars qualified out of District 13 and will face the winner of District 4 in their Section IV opener.

Saturday’s win was also a telling victory for Buffalo Creek, which hadn’t been tested much during the district tournament at its home field.

“I told my boys, ‘first time we’ve got punched in the mouth,’ ” Eatman said. “Now we get to see what they’re made of because they’re going to have to dig down deep.”

Eatman made a pitching change before the end of the first inning, pulling Donley fewer than 20 pitches in to save him for a potential rubber match Sunday. In his place came Luis Garrido, who threw 87 pitches in 4 1/3 innings.

And in the top of the second inning, shortly after he moved to the mound, Garrido put Buffalo Creek ahead for good, launching a solo home run to give Buffalo Creek a 5-4 lead.

Junior

The Manatee Little League All-Stars also punched their ticket to Lakewood Ranch Little League for the junior Section IV tournament with a 5-4 win against Braden River on Saturday at Buffalo Creek Park in Palmetto.

Manatee Little League will also return to action July 4 and face the North Seminole Little League All-Stars from District 25. The Belmont Heights Little League All-Stars from District 13 will open against the winner of District 4. That tournament is also being hosted by Lakewood Ranch Little League.

This story was originally published July 1, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Buffalo Creek rallies past Lakewood Ranch to win Little League district."