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Pinellas girls prep softball notebook

By JOHN SCHWARB, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 27, 2002

Cougars shut out Hurricanes to win yet another title

CLEARWATER -- This one meant more than the previous two, yet maybe not so much. A victory next week would be more important, yet no one can erase this from the books either.

Confusing? Perhaps. Countryside did pick up a meaningful victory Friday, beating Palm Harbor U. 1-0 in the title game to run its streak of district crowns to four.

But neither team could ignore the real possibility of another showdown next week in the region semifinals, provided Countryside (29-1, No. 2 in 5A) beats Northeast and PHU (26-5, No. 4 in 5A) wins at Seminole on Tuesday.

"Hopefully, we see them one more time, hopefully, hopefully," Palm Harbor U. coach Chuck Poetter said.

"It feels great to put them away for districts," Countryside second baseman Kattrina Dowd said. "Maybe we'll see them down the road again."

The teams split two regular-season meetings, with the Cougars winning the most recent 2-0. Kattrina Dowd scored the first run of that game and scored the only run Friday on a passed ball.

In the fifth, Dowd reached on a one-out single then stole second. Kit Dunbar sacrificed her to third. Then with Carly Brieske up, Dani Hofer threw a curveball high and outside that catcher Janine Palumbo got a glove on but could not pull in, and Dowd came home.

"Dani's curveball was working well. She threw one, and it just got away from her," said Poetter, who saw a personal streak of eight consecutive district titles (four at PHU, four at Largo) snapped.

"She's a freshman, and you got to be careful when you throw that pitch with a runner at third, especially Kattrina."

Outside of that, Hofer gave up five singles and two walks.

PHU knocked Countryside ace Bree Spence a bit harder, picking up seven hits. But two runners were caught stealing, and a two-on, one-out situation in the seventh ended with a fielder's choice groundout and a soft liner to short.

Warhawks top Vikings

GULFPORT -- In two previous meetings this season, Seminole got hits off Northeast ace Crystal Folwell. The only problem was they did not turn into runs.

That changed Friday. The Warhawks got 12 hits and took advantage of five errors to win the title 7-1.

Seminole (23-6) will host Palm Harbor University and Northeast (17-5) will travel to Countryside in the region quarterfinals Tuesday.

"It was just a matter of getting runners in scoring position," said Warhawks coach Mark DeRuzzo, whose team split two close games with Northeast before Friday. "We left a lot of runners on base the past two times we played. This time, our hitters put it in play and were aggressive."

Instead of relying on the big hit, Seminole maintained a steady rhythm. All 12 hits were singles and runners advanced thanks to Viking miscues. Five Warhawks (Natalie Bale, Shauna Hawthorne, Lisa Hasson, Jackie Storm and Jessica Garrett) had two hits.

Hawthorne also performed well on the mound, throwing a three-hitter and striking out nine. The only extra-base hit came from Northeast's May Alves, a sixth-inning double. Alves also scored the Vikings' only run.

"That was not our team out there today," Northeast coach Sheryl Hollen said. "We kept committing error after error. We just have to find a way to get up and play on Tuesday."

-- BOB PUTNAM

Dunedin rally falls short

BRADENTON -- Dunedin's bats came alive too late as it lost 4-1 to No.5 Palmetto in the final at Bradenton Bayshore.

Sarah Kohlbrenner's single scored Carlie Trudell in the seventh, but the Falcons left runners on second and third. Palmetto (25-4) scored three in the third. Shastin Radar scored on a wild pitch, and Allyson Cummings drove in two with a triple.

Jill Shondel (20-4) allowed five hits and struck out three. Tamara Kipping (5-9) took the loss. "They are a tough team," Dunedin coach Tom Ward said. "Jill Shondel was the difference in the game. We had some players left on base, and we couldn't get a hit. But they played good defense."

Dunedin (13-15) travels to Naples Barron Collier for the region quarterfinals Tuesday.

-- STEVEN PONALL

Bradenton Chr. takes title

ST. PETERSBURG -- Bradenton Christian pulled off a 2-1 come-from-behind win in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy on Friday and claim the title at Shorecrest.

Starting pitchers Jordan Keen and Emmie Foy matched each other pitch for pitch until the top of the sixth. That's when the Thunder's Tenisha Gadson scored on a throwing error by Panthers third baseman Bernie Judge to give Out-of-Door a 1-0 lead.

Keen, who has allowed one earned run this season for Out-of-Door, was hurt by her defense in the seventh. Throwing errors by Brittany Fuhr and Shannon Neil allowed the tying and winning runs to reach scoring position. Keen's wild pitch allowed Stacey Keen to scamper home and end the game.

"Those things happen," Out-of-Door coach James Kennon said. "It could have easily gone the other way. That's why we play the games."

-- ROVEN YAU

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