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Softball: Newsome earns 3-peat

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A Tribune staff report

Published: April 24, 2009

LITHIA - A sports dynasty is defined as a team that dominates its sport or league for multiple years.

The Newsome softball team established itself as a dynasty Thursday night.

With a 3-0 win over Bloomingdale, the Wolves won their third consecutive Class 5A-District 8 title, capping an undefeated record against district opponents.

"This year was special because we went undefeated," said senior outfielder Laura Lovell, who had a hit, run and RBI. "It's always better beating Bloomingdale because they're our biggest competition."

The teams battled through four scoreless innings until Newsome (23-5) scored three runs on five hits in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run triple by outfielder Jen Owens.

"The whole season, the fifth inning has been our big inning," Newsome coach Dawn Vanella said. "Jen had a huge hit. She's been struggling and she was due."

Newsome sophomore Bailey Schinella (17-1) struck out seven batters and allowed eight hits.

Hannah Hensley led Bloomingdale (20-8) with two hits. Senior Kaylyn Camacho (13-7) suffered the loss.

Nick Williams

Class 5A-District 7

NEW PORT RICHEY - From the River Ridge dugout, Land O' Lakes is annoyingly consistent.

The programs faced off for the fourth consecutive season in the district title game, and Land O' Lakes won for the third time. After their 6-2 victory, the Gators probably prefer consistent.

"The girls, they had some great, timely hitting, especially with two outs," Land O' Lakes coach Jamie Martin said. "Tonight's defensive plays; Michelle Bradley absolutely pitched her heart out. As far as shutting down a team like this to only getting a couple runs, that is phenomenal."

Land O' Lakes has beaten River Ridge three times this season.

River Ridge (20-7) got its first run in the top of the first inning when Madison Morris scored from third on a wild pitch.

Land O' Lakes (18-4) answered when Meghan Sfraga's double scored Bradley and Jessica Austin. That put the Gators ahead 2-1, but Lakyn Shull's sacrifice fly in the third scored Morris to tie it.

Loren Smith's bases-loaded single in the fourth scored two runs for the Gators. Sam Adamo's triple in the sixth scored Lauryn Turcotte for a 6-2 lead.

Bradley struck out nine and gave up only four hits and one walk.

Eddie Daniels

Class 6A-District 8

PLANT CITY - Kayleen Boatwright scored the first three runs, belted home runs in consecutive at-bats and fielded the last ground-ball out to lead Riverview to a 9-1 drubbing of East Bay in the district final.

Taylor McCoy limited East Bay to four hits. She allowed one hit and one walk to the last 16 batters she faced.

The Sharks' hitting and pitching were aided by two spectacular defensive plays. With two East Bay runners on base, Victoria Cooper hit a shot down the right-field line and Emily Holmart raced over, dove and made the catch. Second baseman Desi Roberts made an over-the-shoulder catch.

In addition to Boatwright's four hits, Briana Bell and McCoy collected two hits each.

Barry Carroll

Class 5A-District 10

TAMPA - Chamberlain and Plant have been on a collision course since the start of the season. On Thursday, both clinched spots in the state playoffs after easy wins, and they will meet again tonight at Jefferson for what amounts to home-field advantage at state.

Plant routed Hillsborough 10-0 in five innings, and Chamberlain beat Robinson 10-3.

Plant scored eight runs in the first inning and cruised behind the pitching of Kayla Suskauer and Miranda Clark, who combined for a no-hitter.

In the second game, Chamberlain jumped to a 5-0 first-inning lead and rolled.

Plant coach Melissa Sigmon said beating Chamberlain would be a major breakthrough. Plant has lost twice to Chamberlain this season, but she said none of that matters now.

"You could go 0-22 and that would still be enough to want to play this game," Sigmon said. "We are looking forward to it."

Jeff Berlinicke

Class 4A-District 8

DADE CITY - Led by the bat and right arm of Colena Lazar, Pasco defeated Sunlake 7-3 in a semifinal game.

Lazar hit two home runs, had five RBIs and pitched a complete game while striking out 11. She gave up five hits and one earned run.

"We knew we needed this one to get into the state playoffs," Pasco coach Shamalene Broner said. "I was surprised they pitched to Colena, especially after she hit the first home run."

After Pasco (21-6) took a 5-0 lead, Sunlake scored two runs in the top of the fourth and one in the fifth to cut the score to 5-3. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Lazar hit her second homer, a solo shot that seemed to take the fight out of the Seahawks.

In the first semifinal, the Nature Coast Tech Sharks (15-10) dispatched the Hernando Leopards (10-11) in another 7-3 game. The Sharks broke a 1-all tie with four runs in the bottom of the fourth, thanks to an RBI single by starting pitcher Ashley Antczak, a two-run double by Jen Marshall and an RBI groundout by Kelsey McManus.

Antczak pitched a complete game, giving up five hits and two earned runs.

Kenny Sanders

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