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Softball: Countryside Passes Early Test

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By EDDIE DANIELS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 12, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY For the better part of seven innings Thursday night at Mitchell High's softball field, it was a true duel of pitchers.

Countryside's Alyssa Bache struck out four of her first eight batters, while Mitchell's Olivia Kline didn't allow the Cougars more than three runners in the first three innings.

Despite five scoreless frames, Countryside broke the scoreless tie in the sixth inning, leading to a 2-0 win in its season opener against its Class 6A-District 7 foe.

"It's so early to play a game like this, our first regular season game," Countryside coach Kaylyn Bayly said. "It's a little stressful. Pretty much every time, whether it's Mitchell or Gaither, this district's always battling back and forth. You never know, anybody could win on any given night."

It was clear from the first time Ayanna Andrews reached first base in the fourth inning what the Cougars (1-0) planned – use Andrews' speed as often as possible and rely on a solid defense, in concert with Bache's strong arm.

During Andrews' second plate appearance, she took first base after being walked. One pitch later, she swiped second base. Two batters later, Andrews took third base, but no one drove her in.

At the top of the sixth, Andrews sent a 1-0 pitch into centerfield for a single and on the first pitch to Brittany Dettilo, Andrews stole second. Later in that at-bat, Andrews took third. On a short bunt toward Kline, Andrews beat the flip from Kline to Mitchell (1-1) catcher Stephanie Palazzolo.

Three batters later, Ashleigh Bynum beat the throw to first base and Gia Tomossone, who earlier reached on a dropped third strike, scored from second, stretching the Cougars advantage to 2-0.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Mitchell's Ally Summers laced a double nearly to the left-field fence. Two batters later, Kline reached safely on an infield error, but Summers was caught between second and third.

Mitchell's final batter struck out swinging, ending the game.

"I told the girls before the game, no matter what, don't quit," Mitchell coach Scott Bisbe said. "I've got a young team, got some young girls and they didn't. They hit the ball, we just hit it right at them."

Bache ended the night with eight strikeouts and two hits, while Kline finished with seven strikeouts and just one hit. Both hurlers frequently hit in the upper 60s on the Jugs radar gun. Each used that speed to her advantage, occasionally throwing changeups in the 40s and 30s.

"Two of the best pitchers you just saw tonight," Bisbe said. "And I'll put Olivia up against anybody in the area and [Cortney] Radke, too. Two of the best pitchers in the area. You can tell by all the foul balls that were hit. I've never seen so many foul balls in one game."

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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