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Softball: Pirates Sail Past Hernando With Big Fifth Inning

Tribune photo by EDDIE DANIELS

Pasco pitcher Colena Lazar prepares to pitch with a Hernando runner at first. Lazar notched 14 strikeouts.

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By EDDIE DANIELS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 24, 2009

DADE CITY - It wasn't exactly the start they wanted, but Tuesday night's end result was good enough for Pasco's softball team.

The Pirates collected a 5-2 victory against Hernando after posting four runs in the fifth inning. Pasco starter Colena Lazar added to her Pasco County leading strikeout total, fanning 14 batters.

"We've been a late-inning ball team this year and I tell them, we can't be waiting too late," Pasco coach Shamalene Broner said. "We've been fortunate enough to score runs late in the ballgame, holding opponents under us, but good teams are going to be able to push runs across and we can't wait."

Hernando (9-9) seized an early advantage at the top of the second inning. With Sarah Whealdon on third base and Megan Platt at the plate, an infield error on Platt's grounder, allowed Whealdon to score.

Pasco tied the game, 1-1, when a wild pitch during Renae Reynolds' at-bat allowed Courtney Brandt to score from third.

Colena Lazar then began to methodically shut down Hernando's batters. She collected 13 of her 14 strikeouts from the third inning through the seventh. Hernando was held to two hits all night.

The Pirates (14-1) woke up at the bottom of the fifth when Latoya Lewis parked a 2-2 pitch over the centerfield wall. That two-run shot put Pasco ahead, 3-1.

In that same inning, Colena Lazar singled to right field with the bases loaded, scoring Megan Newsome. The next batter, Brandt, scored Colesa Lazar on a single to left field, stretching the Pasco advantage to 5-1.

The Leopards earned their final run when Alex Hayden came in on another Pasco infield error.

Tuesday night's game was a far cry from the first meeting in this Class 4A-District 8 matchup. Pasco romped, 11-2 in that Feb. 27 game. It was the fourth loss during a five-game losing streak for Hernando.

"We lost five in a row earlier in the year and we kind of said, we're going to push the re-set button," Hernando coach Kevin Bittinger said. "Since then, win or lose, we're just playing better ball. We're just kind of backing each other up."

Pasco has won four consecutive games since dropping their first contest of the season nearly two weeks ago against Zephyrhills. They'll host Land O' Lakes Friday night.

PASCO 5, HERNANDO 2
Hernando 010 000 1-2 2 0
Pasco 010 040 x-5 7 2
Sinwelski and Bilodeau and Platt; Colena Lazar and Newsome. W-Lazar (8-0). L- Sinwelski. 2B-Brandt, Newsome (P). HR-Lewis (P). Records-H 9-9, P 14-1.

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214.

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