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Rogers, Team Make History At Independence Day Tournament

By STEVEN HINTON The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 26, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Alex Rogers and Team Florida made history this month. The 16-under softball team traveled to the Louisville Slugger Independence Day Tournament in Boulder, Colo., and did something no Florida team had done.

It ended the tournament with the best finish for a Florida travel team, coming in second place.
Team Florida reached the championship game, where it lost to the Southern Cal Lady Magic, 8-0.

"It was a great feeling to make history," said Rogers, a rising sophomore at Sunlake High.

The 16-under team went 11-2-1 in the tournament. Before this year, a team from Clearwater finished third in the 1990s.

Rogers, who batted second, went 10-for-33 for a batting average of .303 in the tournament. In the semifinals, against California Victory USA, she had the winning hit in the top of the eighth inning.

"The kid plays big all the time," Team Florida coach Frank Arcuri said.

During this past high school season, Rogers also posted some impressive stats. Her 26 hits led her team, and she was second in batting average (.406), RBIs (13) and doubles (four). She struck out only six times in 64 at-bats.

"She's a real nice player and has a bright future ahead of her, believe me," Sunlake coach John Dawkins said.

When it comes to honing her skills, the travel team has helped a lot.

"We are playing every weekend, so we're getting in the habit of playing," Rogers said. "It helps during high school softball, because it gets me used to the competitiveness. ... I've seen a lot of these players during the high school season, so it helps build a friendly rivalry."

"She's changed from a right-handed-hitting infielder at the beginning, to a versatile left-handed-hitting infielder/outfielder," said Arcuri, who has been coaching Rogers for five years. "She's just an all-around great kid and fun to be around."

The team, made up of 13 players from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties, will be traveling to two more tournaments this summer, including the Amateur Softball Association Nationals, Sunday through Aug. 3 in Kentucky. This is the fifth time the team has qualified for the national tournament.

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