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Brandon Off To A Strong Start

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By NICK WILLIAMS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 21, 2008

Last season, the Brandon High softball team went 1-13 in district play and finished the year 2-20 overall. Within the first two weeks of this season, however, the Eagles have doubled their win total and are currently 5-3 overall and 2-1 in Class 5A-District 8 play.

Sophomore Ashlyn Feutz and junior Katie Thornton are hitting well for the Eagles, boasting team-high .429 batting averages. Both are tied for team-highs in runs scored (8) and hits (6).

Brandon coach Penny Burg said juniors Tara Sheppard, Sarah Brandon, Thornton, Nicole Reed and freshman Kayla Goff have provided the offensive spark for the team this season. Thornton, Brandon and Sheppard are batting more than .300, while Goff is hitting .286. Goff has also posted two wins and a save and holds a 1.40 ERA.

"We will surprise a lot of teams with our discipline, competitiveness and desire to win this year," Burg said. "We feel we are well on our way to returning the pride and the winning tradition back to the Brandon High School softball program."

Brandon is the seventh-highest on base percentage in Hillsborough County, third in stolen bases with 36 and seventh in runs scored with 53.

PANTHERS WILL RELY ON DEPTH: Having too many weapons on the field is not going to be a problem for this year's Plant squad.

Although second baseman Hannah Ojeda, who has signed with N.C. State, and center fielder Grace Slone-Collins are standout players, Coach Melissa Sigmon can't identify a top player on the team.

"I have six pitchers that could pitch for a lot of teams," Sigmon said. "When I say I don't have a standout player and it's going to be a team effort, I really mean that."

One of those pitchers is Academy of the Holy Names transfer Kayla Suskauer, who was selected to The Tampa Tribune All-Hillsborough County second team as a junior last year and is 2-0 so far this season.

"She's doing well," Sigmon said. "I think she's adjusting to playing back in 5A. When she's not pitching, she's in the outfield."

The Panthers have started the season 4-0, but Sigmon doesn't want to break out the champagne just yet.

"We still have some growing and ironing out to do," she said. "It's going to be a team effort this year."

GAMES TO WATCH: Tonight: Plant City at Riverview. In this 6A-District 8 game, both teams possess a dominant pitcher, Plant City with junior prospect Megan Still and the Sharks with Florida International signee Ashley McClain. Saturday: Gaither at Plant. Gaither pitcher and reigning Tribune Player of the Year Morgan Grove will have her work cut out for her against a strong-hitting Plant team. Tuesday: Durant at East Bay. A young but developing East Bay squad will host the defending 6A-8 champs, which are led by Augusta State-bound pitcher Sara DeMuth.

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