April 7, 2000

FLORIDA TODAY

Brett Roneberg launches a three-run homer in the second inning for the Manatees

Manatees rip Hammerheads 9-4

VIERA, Fla. - The Brevard County Manatees embark on an eight-game road trip today, and no one will be more reluctant to get on the team bus than right fielder Brett Roneberg.

The sweet-swinging Australian had four hits and five RBI Friday night to lead the Manatees to a 9-4 victory in front of 3,342 fans at Space Coast Stadium.

Roneberg's three-run homer in the second inning staked the Manatees (2-0) to an early 5-0 lead, and the 22-year-old put the exclamation mark on the victory with a two-run double in the eighth inning.

He went 6 for 9 in the Manatees' season-opening two-game series at Space Coast Stadium.

Second baseman Jesus Medrano aided Brevard County's 12-hit attack with a pair of run-scoring singles, and first baseman Tony Lucca chipped in a pair of hits, including a triple.
The Manatees (2-0) start a four-game series at Dunedin at 7 p.m. today, and play four more games in Clearwater before returning home.
On Friday, they staked winning pitcher Claudio Vargas to a big lead with their second five-run inning in as many nights, and they scored all of the runs with two outs.

Run-scoring singles by shortstop Derek Wathan and Medrano set the stage for Roneberg's blast.

Vargas labored in five innings of work, but he got plenty of help in the field. For the second night in a row, the Manatees did not commit an error.

Roneberg made a running catch in the fourth inning, and Wathan prevented a big inning with a pair of gems in the fifth.

"We take pride in our defense," Roneberg said. "You can't win games if you can't catch the ball."