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Newsome Tops Durant In Season Opener

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By NICK WILLIAMS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 10, 2009

PLANT CITY - In a matchup of two of the top softball teams in Hillsborough County, Newsome senior third baseman Meaghan Schultz hit two home runs to lead the Wolves over Durant, 6-2, in the season opener on Tuesday.

Schultz, who has signed with Emory University, hit a solo home run in the second inning to give the Wolves, ranked fourth in the Tribune's preseason top 10, a 3-0 lead. Then, in the top of the seventh inning, hit her second solo home run of the night, highlighting a three-run, five hit inning by Newsome.

"I was really focused on watching the ball and not hitting it hard," Schultz said. "I was expecting for all of (the pitches) to be all outside."

Sophomore pitcher Bailey Schinella earned the win with 11 strikeouts, allowing four hits and one run.

"Bailey helped us out a lot. She was hitting her spots," said first-year Newsome coach Dawn Vanella. "(This win) sets the expectation that we have to continue to play like this and get better."

Durant, which advanced to the Class 6A state semifinals last year, scored two runs in the fourth inning, led by Brittany Harwell's RBI double. Harwell scored the second run on an infield error.

"(Newsome) is a good squad," Durant coach Matt Carter said. "We tried some different things as far as positions go. Defensively, I was happy. We're young and we've got to work our way back into it. We've got 10 freshmen."

Durant pitcher Erika Wetherington allowed eight hits and struck out two batters in the loss.

Newsome 210 000 3 6 8 2
Durant 000 200 0 2 4 3
2B – Harwell (D). HR – Schultz 2 (N). WP – Schinella (1-0). LP – Wetherington (0-1). Records – N 1-0; D 0-1.

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 259-7851

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