Dell commentary: Braden River's Tyler Dyson trying to follow path of Tampa Bay's Jake Odorizzi
If Braden River pitcher Tyler Dyson can finish the regular season without allowing an earned run, the University of Florida signee will join some very select company.
That short list includes Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jake Odorizzi, who went through the entire regular season at Highlands High (Illinois) without allowing an earned run in his senior year.
He gave up his first run in the postseason, but finished his senior year with a 0.08 ERA in 89.2 innings with 146 strikeouts.
He also stole 31 bases and batted .409 with 15 homers in earning multiple National Player of the Year honors.
Odorizzi was a first team high school All-American in 2008. Joining him on that team were current Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole, Tampa Bay Rays infielder Tim Beckham and Sarasota High's pitcher/position player Casey Kelly. Cole had a 0.45 ERA in his senior year.
Dyson has thrown 34 innings this year and recorded 37 strikeouts while allowing 11 hits. The first run scored against him came on March 16 by Lakewood Ranch, and Bartow got one in his next turn on the mound, but both runs were unearned.
With the regular season heading toward the stretch run and postseason play scheduled to begin April 18, every team is trying to get as much pitching as possible and shore up its defense.
Braden River also will be relying on Eric Kimsey and John Bean, who leads the Pirates with a .375 batting average (minimum 30 at-bats). Kimsey has struck out 30 in 38.2 innings and compiled a 1.63 ERA. Getting Giancarlo Gamboa healthy will also be a big plus for the Pirates.
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Lakewood Ranch's struggle to score runs in the Sarasota Baseball Classic is an indication of how good the pitching in the tournament has been.
The Mustangs scored only eight runs in the first three games.
They gave up only two earned runs during that span, but unfortunately allowed four unearned runs.
Justin Fischer has paced the Mustangs all season coming into the tournament, with a team-high .435 batting average and 17 RBIs.
Lakewood Ranch also is getting good productivity from Colton Zimring (.385 BA), Dylan Buck (.370) and Matt Ambrosino (.364).
The Mustangs have the pitching to make a deep run into the playoffs though being in the same district (Class 8A-8) with Sarasota doesn't help.
Coming into the SBC, Zimring was leading the staff with a 1,00 ERA and 35 Ks in 27 innings, followed by Pablo Garabitos (1.25 ERA, 29 Ks in 28 IP) and Ambrosino (1.47 ERA in 19 IP).
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Palmetto is a good example of how tough it is in 8A-8.
The Tigers are 9-2 in non-district play and 1-5 in the district, averaging 7.8 runs out of district and only 2.2 in the district.
Jacob Josey leads the Tigers with the bat and on the mound carrying, a .352 BA to go along with his 1.98 ERA that includes 18 strikeouts in 28.1 innings.
Hunter Finner has fanned 30 in 27 innings with a 2.07 ERA.
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Manatee is 1-5 in district
play and 6-10 overall.
The Canes have been struggling to find themselves, but have gotten solid performances from pitcher Eric Crawford and Garrett Richelieu (.342 BA).
Crawford started for the Hurricanes in their final SBC game, taking the mound with a 1.50 ERA (36K in 37.1 IP.)
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Nick Runde leads Saint Stephen's with a 1.21 ERA and has 42 strikeouts in 52 innings with 15 coming against Imagine School of North Port.
Freshman Mike Madigan tops the Falcons with a .340 batting average.
Rob Arakel leads Bradenton Christian in hitting and on the mound (.410 BA; 19K in 13 innings pitched, with a 2.15 ERA).
Alan Dell, Herald sports columnist/writer, can be reached at 941-745-7056. Follow him on Twitter @ADellSports
This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 11:59 PM with the headline "Dell commentary: Braden River's Tyler Dyson trying to follow path of Tampa Bay's Jake Odorizzi ."