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Softball: McCoy leads Sharks

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A Tribune staff report

Published: May 2, 2009

RIVERVIEW - Typically, it's the experienced upperclassman's job to lead the team to victory.

That didn't apply to Riverview freshman pitcher Taylor McCoy on Friday.

McCoy (13-4) allowed three hits, walked two batters, and although she didn't record a strikeout, worked her way out a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning and caught the final out in the seventh as the Sharks advanced to Tuesday's Class 6A region championship with a 2-0 victory over state-ranked Countryside (21-7).

"It was a bit of a challenge, both teams racing to the state tournament, but I had my defense behind me and I kept my head up," McCoy said.

That defense was led by junior center fielder Brianna Bell, who recorded six putouts and also drove in a run in the fourth to give Riverview (18-10) a 1-0 lead.

Sophomore shortstop Kayleen Boatwright went 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored to lead the offense.

"We always knew we could beat them," Boatwright said.

Nick Williams

5A-2: Bloomingdale edges River Ridge

NEW PORT RICHEY - Behind 1-0 after the first inning, Bloomingdale pitcher Kaylyn Camacho let her defense take charge. And it did.

Despite having base runners in every inning, River Ridge couldn't get another run across and Bloomingdale scored three runs in the sixth inning to defeat the host Royal Knights 4-1 and advance to the Class 5A-Region 2 finals.

"We only had one mistake on defense and it didn't hurt us," said Bloomingdale coach Mike Clamon. "Camacho, for some reason, seems to buckle down with runners on base."

Bloomingdale (22-8) will travel to Auburndale on Tuesday for a chance to return to the state final four for the first time since 2004.

Rick Harmon

4A-2: Pasco falls to Harmony in 10

DADE CITY - Pasco and Harmony both rallied from two-run deficits, made key defensive plays and came through with clutch two-out hits - after the sixth inning of their Class 4A-Region 2 semifinal.

But the 10-inning marathon was ultimately decided by a pair of Pasco (23-7) errors which led to the deciding run in the Longhorns' 7-6 win.

"It only takes one bad mistake to run out of gas in a game like this," said Pirates coach Shamalene Broner. "I'm just disappointed for the seniors. You never want to tell them it's the end."

Pasco took an early three-run lead, spurred by a two-run homer by Megan Newsome and an RBI single by Sarah Burchfield. After Harmony narrowed the lead with runs in the fourth and sixth, Pasco freshman Vanessa Mills had her first prep hit, an RBI triple, to make it 4-2 entering the seventh.

That's when the Longhorns (20-7-1) loaded the bases on three consecutive walks, and tied the game on a single by Taylor Ellis. They added two more runs in the ninth to lead 6-4, but Pasco rallied to tie on a two-out double by Colena Lazar.

Bart O'Connell

3A-3: TC again falls to St. Pete Catholic

ST. PETERSBURG - Tampa Catholic lost to one team this year. Trouble is, the Crusaders lost four times to that team, St. Petersburg Catholic.

The last loss, a 2-1 setback in Friday's Class 3A-Region 3 semifinal, being the most painful.

"It's like that in sports, isn't it?" Tampa Catholic coach Vern Tatum said. "You have a rivalry, but one of the teams sometimes has a hold over the other one. The one team has to break that hold, that curse, that voodoo. We'll get there. We have a lot of girls returning next year. We'll break that curse."

It appeared TC (16-4) might break the curse after jumping to a 1-0 lead in Friday's first inning. That notion, however, appeared washed away after SPC (24-3) scored two in the bottom of the first, the last run a cause of some controversy.

It came on a called balk, sending Madison Saganowich home from third base with what would be the winning run.

"I'm not going to comment on that call," Tatum said. "I'll just say it was a great game that should have been decided by the play on the field."

Scott Purks

1A-3: Cambridge gives coach gift

TAMPA - Cambridge Christian coach Kevin Hickinbotham knew exactly what he wanted for his 40th birthday Friday - a win against Seffner Christian in the Class 1A-Region 3 semifinal.

His team didn't disappoint as the Lancers (18-7) advanced to the region final with a 7-5 victory.

"This is awesome," Hickinbotham said. "I couldn't have asked for a better present."

Trailing 3-2, the Lancers sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning and scored five runs. Pitcher Alexis Caruso, who had a two-run single during Cambridge's outburst, made sure the lead would stand.

After surrendering two runs in the top of fifth which allowed Seffner to get within 7-5, Caruso (18-6) retired the final eight batters in order.

Gregg Becnel

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