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Softball: Shull, River Ridge Down Gulf

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By EDDIE DANIELS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 27, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY As players meandered in the middle of the softball diamond at the Jim Valentine Athletic Complex, it was unclear which set of circumstances made River Ridge coach Ernie Beck happier.

His Royal Knights had just earned a 5-1 victory over Gulf behind solid pitching from sophomore Lakyn Shull, which included 12 strikeouts. He clapped for his girls and grinned.

Then came the other news: Beck was the winner of one of two electric grills up for grabs during the night's raffle. When the result was announced via the stadium's public address system, Beck turned to the press box with both arms in the air, cheering.

Considering the year his Royal Knights (13-3) are having, both results brought their own version of satisfaction.

The victory was a slow build-up as River Ridge held on to a 1-0 advantage for the first three innings. The Royal Knights earned that run on a double by Sarah Simon, scoring Madison Morris from second base.

"I've long gotten over getting excited because we've looked [terrible] in the first two or three innings," Beck said. "Usually it's the second time around [we start hitting]. Audrey [Abell] up at leadoff, she got on the first two times and I had her steal. That gave us the first run.

"And when Lakyn is pitching the way she's pitching, don't get me wrong, you're never comfortable with one run, but it was a little bit of a cushion and then we caught up to it later on."

In the first five innings, Shull, who pitched a complete game, had eight strikeouts.

River Ridge gained an even thicker cushion in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ana Alberti's single to left scored Amanda Wells, stretching the lead to 2-0. The next batter, Abell, hit an infield single, scoring Carla Leyva.

Simon pounded a single to left field, scoring Alberti and Abell for her second and third RBIs of the night. That put River Ridge permanently ahead, 5-0.

Gulf (8-10) got on the board in the seventh after Jessica Santoli opened the inning with a triple up the third base line. Amber Maxey's single to centerfield scored Santoli.

Thursday night was a similar ordeal for the Buccaneers. Against Mitchell, Gulf played Mitchell tight for the first four innings. They eventually dropped that contest, 6-1. A week later, the Bucs held Pasco to one run in the first six innings before losing, 4-0.

"We've had to play Mitchell, Pasco and now River Ridge," Gulf coach Rick Hohenthaner said. "In all three instances, we played a tight, close game through five or six innings. Unfortunately, that's when the youth I have - we're loaded with sophomores and freshmen - kicked in. They start to think maybe they can't hang, but they realize they can because when they go up against Nature Coast and Springstead and Sunlake, they then realize they're capable."

River Ridge will now turn its attention to Friday and Saturday's Spring Fling softball tournament at J.C. Handly Park in Brandon.

Gulf 000 000 1-1 6 1
River Ridge 100 400 x-5 10 1

Enerson, Hill(6) and Crider; Shull and SImon. W-Shull (8-1).
L-Enerson (2-5). 2B-Simon (RR). 3B-Santoli (G). Records-G 8-10, RR 13-3.

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

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