BANGOR – Dade City, Fla. righthander Robbie Shields got off to an ominous start against Surrey, British Columbia as he surrendered line drive singles to Ian Watt and Justin Beaudry and a ringing two-run double to Cody Springer.

But he allowed just one hit the rest of the way and shortstop Jaime Cruz paced an 11-hit attack with a triple, two doubles and four RBIs as Dade City beat Surrey 12-2 in a game called in the bottom of the fifth due to the 10-run rule.

Dade City, the U.S. South champs, is now 2-0 while Canadian champ Surrey fell to 1-1.

“I was worried,” admitted Shields, who aided his own cause with a double and a single and two RBIs. “But our ace, Dominic Brown, told me after the first inning that I had to mix my pitches up. So I started throwing curves and change-ups and it ended up working. I settled down and threw strikes.”

Shields retired the last 11 hitters he faced and finished with three strikeouts and one walk while throwing 61 pitches, 36 for strikes.

He knew his mates would produce some runs for him and they did.

“Offense is why we’re here,” said Shields.

Dade City began their comeback by scoring a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the first as Cruz walked, Zach Maggard singled and both wound up scoring on wild pitches.

“I think we’ve scored at least a run in the first inning of all but one of our 16 or 17 [postseason] games,” said Shields.

They took the lead for good with four runs in the second off starter Watt.

Hunter Hedman rifled a one-out double to left center and Rashaun Capehart walked.

Brown grounded a single to right and when it was misplayed, Hedman scored.

Shields lined a run-scoring single to left and Cruz followed with a two-run double over left fielder Chad Stang’s head.

“He [Watt] threw me a curve,” said Cruz who added that Watt hung the breaking ball.

Cruz triggered a two-run rally against reliever Jimmy Croasdale in the fourth with a lead-off triple to center.

He eventually scored on Croasdale’s throwing error to the plate and Julian Juarez singled home the second run.

Dade City brought the game to a early conclusion in the fifth on a hit batsman, a walk, Shields’ RBI double, Cruz’s two-run double and Maggard’s RBI single.

Cruz, who has four hits and five RBIs in two tourney games so far, said, “I’m just trying to put the ball in play and hit it hard.”

“They hit the ball really well. They were all over it,” said Surrey right fielder John Lambert. “They were hitting gaps and we were hitting it at their players.”

“And they didn’t drop the ball [like we did]. Our boys weren’t prepared. But give them credit. They hit the ball,” said Surrey manager Grant MacDougall.

Besides Cruz and Shields, Maggard was also a repeat hitter with his two singles.

Like Cruz, Shields also has four hits in two tourney games.

U.S. SOUTH 12, CANADA 2

Surrey, B.C. (1-1) Dade City, Fla. (2-0)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Watt, p 2 1 1 0 Brown, cf 3 2 0

Croasdale, p 1 0 0 0 Shields, p 4 2 2

Beaudry, 1b 2 1 1 0 Cruz, ss 3 3 4

Springer, 3b-c 2 0 1 2 Maggard, c 3 1

Lambert, rf 2 0 0 0 Roe, 3b 2 1 0 0

Mullen, rf 0 0 0 0 Juarez, 1b 3 0 1

Stang, lf 2 0 1 0 Mathis, rf 1 0 0

McKinnon, cf 0 0 0 0 Roberts, rf 1 0 0

Derish, cf 1 0 0 0 Wells, rf 1 0 0

LeClair, c-3b 1 0 0 0 Hedman, 2b 1 0

Crowhurst, 3b 1 0 0 0 Pullin, 2b 1 0

Donaldson, ss 2 0 0 0 Capehart, lf 0 0

Reyes, 2b 1 0 0 0

Cameron, 2b 1 0 0 0

Totals 18 2 4 2 Totals 23 12 11 8

Surrey, B.C. 200 00 ? 2

Dade City, Fla. 240 24 ? 12

E? Croasdale, Lambert; Cruz; LOB? Canada 2, U.S. South 7; 2B? Springer; Cruz 2, Shields, Hedman; 3B? Cruz; S? Capehart;

Surrey, B.C. IP H R ER BB SO

Watt (L, 0-1) 2 5 6 5 4 0

Croasdale 2 6 6 4 2 0

Dade City, Fla. IP H R ER BB SO

Shields (W, 1-0) 5 4 2 2 1 3

HBP? Capehart (by Croasdale); WP? Watt 2; BK? Croasdale; PB? Springer, LeClair; T? 1:28; ATT? 150 (est.)