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Benincasa wins Saladino award

Tribune photo by SCOTT PURKS

Robert Benincasa helped lead Armwood to a deep postseason run this year.

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By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 14, 2009

Robert Benincasa was looking forward to sinking his teeth into some Far East cuisine Sunday evening. He ended up settling for some pasta, but it was a meal he definitely savored.

When Benincasa left his home Sunday, he believed he and a friend were headed to Jo-To Japanese Restaurant in Brandon, where Armwood coach Mike Wrenn was supposed to pay up for a bet made during the preseason in which Wrenn promised to treat Benincasa and a friend to dinner if the Hawks made a run to the state baseball tournament.

Instead, Benincasa ultimately was lured to the home of Bertha and Tony Saladino Jr., where he was presented the 39th annual Tony Saladino Memorial Baseball Award, which has been given annually since 1971 to Hillsborough County's top senior baseball player.

"It's probably the biggest honor of my life," Benincasa said. "It's definitely going to stay with me for a long time."

Benincasa was the top pitcher for the Hawks in 2009 and helped Armwood reach the state tournament for the first time in program history. The right-hander went 12-1 with a 1.35 ERA, tossing a county-best seven complete games while striking out 91 in 83 innings pitched. Benincasa, a Tribune All-Hillsborough County first-team selection, is the second Armwood player to receive the award, joining Brandon McArthur in 2003.

Benincasa has signed a scholarship with Florida State, but he also has a chance to pursue a professional career after the Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the 33rd round of the MLB first-year player draft Thursday. He hasn't yet met with Blue Jays officials to enter contract negotiations.

While the destination for his future baseball career is still up in the air, Benincasa knows one place he plans to visit in the near future.

"I'm going to hold it to my coach to make sure he takes me to Jo-Tos," Benincasa said. "But I'm definitely happy that I'm here."

COMMITMENT: Leto rising senior baseball player Nick Gonzalez has verbally committed to USF, Falcons coach J.J. Pizzio announced Saturday. Gonzalez was Leto's top pitcher as a junior in 2009. The left-hander finished 4-2 with a 1.98 ERA, striking out 55 in 421/3 innings.

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