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Tampa Bay captures Junior softball title

The one run scored by Tampa Bay proved to be enough as pitcher Annie Pilger overmatched Naples to lead her team to the state Junior softball title Wednesday with a 1-0 win.

Naples was powerless against Pilger, 13, who pitched a complete game, issued no walks and struck out five. Naples mustered just one hit. Pilger also kept Naples from getting a runner as far as second base and allowed two baserunners in seven innings.

Tampa Bay chipped away for seven hits, but fundamentals allowed it to score the winning run.

Lauren Castellvi's leadoff double was followed by a bunt from Tari Owi. But the Naples defense couldn't field the bunt and allowed Castellvi to reach third while Owi ran to second. Tampa Bay stuck to the basics as Brittany Villa's deep fly ball brought home Castellvi with the game's lone run.

The state title was the third for coach Larry Rodriguez and Tampa Bay. Rodriguez and seven of his players won the state crown as 9- and 10-year-olds, then followed that with a title in the Major division two years later.

The victory against Naples was especially sweet after Naples defeated Rodriguez and Tampa Bay for the title when the players were 11-year-olds. The seven 13-year-olds on Tampa Bay's team have won four consecutive state championships.

"It's just one of those combinations," Rodriguez said. "We have seven 14-year-olds and seven 13-year-olds, so it's a very good mix."

Tampa Bay will start regional play in Fort Myers on Sunday.

9-10 SOFTBALL: Northside's mistakes were more than it could overcome as Naples won the state title 10-4.

Northside and Naples were locked in a 1-1 pitchers' duel entering the top of the fourth. With starter Kristen McGrath riding along smoothly, Northside started committing miscues in bunches with two outs. When the inning ended, four Northside errors had contributed to three Naples runs. Prior to Wednesday, Northside hadn't surrendered a run in its previous three games at the state tournament.

Northside watched the game slide farther away in the fifth when Naples pushed across two more runs with two outs.

"We had a great run," Northside coach Randy Martinez told his team after the game. "You played great. You're the state runners-up. But remember that feeling in the pit of your stomach because you'll be back again. I'm very proud of you and now you know what you need to improve on."

Except in a 13-9 loss to Palm Harbor in a meaningless game at sectionals, Northside's defense allowed four runs in six games before Wednesday.

The state championship game capped a great run for Northside Little League, which had never advanced a softball team that far.

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