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Plant Falls In Final

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By NICK WILLIAMS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 30, 2008

VENICE - Although they tried to privately comfort each other in the far right corner of the Venice High softball field, the sound of the Plant players sobbing could be heard around the stadium.

The Panthers' postseason journey ended Tuesday with a 1-0 loss to Venice in the Class 5A-Region 3 final.

It was the farthest the program had advanced in the playoffs since 2000.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Venice pitcher Stephanie Sullivan scored the winning run on an infield error, one of three by Plant in the game.

"Those are things you can't do in this kind of game," Plant coach Melissa Sigmon said.

In the top of the seventh, Sullivan forced a fly ball and two ground outs to end the game. The Indians (30-0) will face George Jenkins at the 5A state tournament in Plant City on May 7.

Plant had its chances. In the fifth, the Panthers (23-5) had the bases loaded with two outs but couldn't score. In the first and fourth innings, Plant had two runners on with two outs and came up empty.

The Panthers had five hits and left nine runners on base.

"You have to score to win these kind of games," senior infielder Hannah Ojeda said.

Plant's defense helped keep the game close. In the third inning, the Panthers helped junior pitcher Kayla Suskauer get out of a bases-loaded jam, and in the fourth, senior left fielder Lindsey Hyde caught a fly ball and threw out a runner at the plate.

Sullivan allowed five hits, struck out nine and walked four, while Suskauer allowed two hits and had two strikeouts and six walks.

After the game, Sigmon told her players to hold their heads high.

"I told them 'you have nothing to be ashamed of,'" she said. "They played a fantastic game. They should be proud of how far they've come."

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