BASEBALL ROUNDUP | REGIONAL FINALS

Belen, Gulliver advance

BY RUDY RODRIGUEZ-CHOMAT

Miami Herald Writer

It didn't have the same heart pounding finish as the first two playoff games that Belen played in that ended with seventh-inning home runs to propel the Wolverines to victory, but the result was just as pleasing as they cruised past Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon in the Region 4-4A final at Belen.

The Wolverines (21-10) will play the Bishop Moore/Pasco winner in the state semifinals in Sarasota next Friday. It's their first trip to the Final Four since 2003 when they finished as the state runner-up.

Mauricio Rodriguez pitched a three-hitter and struck out 13 hitters to lead Belen to the win while they capitalized on two errors by the Redskins for a five-run third inning that gave them an early 6-0 lead.

After a leadoff double by Yoe Lopez, Adrian Lorenzo sacrificed Lopez to third, but the throw to first was dropped and Lorenzo was safe at first. After a force out at second scored Lopez, Belen got a hit and walk to load the bases. A force out at second scored Lucas Calderon for a 3-0 lead. After a hit batter loaded the bases, Scott Woodrey's throwing error allowed Asis Lopez and Eric Cos to score to push the lead to 5-0. Lopez walked forcing in another run.

''[Rodriguez] had 13 strikeouts?'' Belen coach Tony Meilan said. ``Wow, that's something since he didn't have his best stuff today. It really didn't seem like it, but he battled today.''

Gibbons 000 010 0-- 1 3 4 Belen 105 000 X-- 6 6 2 WP: Mauricio Rodriguez. LP: Eric Whaley. HR: John Haberline.