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Series bid is music to Hernando's ear
By FRANK PASTOR BROOKSVILLE -- As Hernando packed its bags after practice Thursday at Tom Varn Park and finalized preparations for the softball world series, one small but essential task remained: the team needed a theme song.
"When they introduce you on the field, they play a song that represents you, and that's probably pretty close for them," Rags said of his players. "It's a crazy group." Crazy enough to pile into two vans today and ride 7-8 hours to Ozark, Ala., with the hopes of becoming the first county team to win a Dixie Debs World Series title. Hernando captured the 1999 Dixie Belles (15-under) championship, but no county team is believed to have won a title in the 18-under division. "To do that would be wonderful, because it proves we can do it anywhere," pitcher Carolyn Gant said. Hernando (3-0) plays Tennessee in the opening round of the 12-team, double-elimination tournament at 5 p.m. (EST) Saturday. The tourney concludes Thursday. Hernando is an all-star squad comprised of players from the Hernando Youth League. Nine of the 12 members were on Hernando High's varsity this past season. Brittney Naugler and Devin Lashley played JV. Lindsey Herr attended Central. "It helps in the long run, because we all have set positions and don't have to try anything new because we have people that play every position," Langworthy said. "It just makes us all the stronger and better." Hernando, playing in the Dixie World Series for a fourth straight year, hopes it is strong enough to improve on its third-place finish of the past two seasons. Last year, a freshman and sophomore-dominated squad was eliminated by a Virginia team that had six junior college players. Expectations are higher, as Hernando has two JUCO players (Pasco-Hernando Community College signees Becky Ellis and Christene Dennis) and a slew of all-conference picks from this past prep season. Each of the team's first six hitters (Langworthy, Gant, Dennis, Scottisha Scrivens, Ellis and Chelsea Marlow) can bunt and run, while Nos. 7-9 (Krystal Rags, Herr and Lashley) re-set the table for the top of the order. Gant and a pair of 15-year-olds, Naugler and Lashley, do most of the pitching. All three threw in the state tournament, but defense and speed on the basepaths were the keys to Hernando's victories -- 20-2 over Bonifay and 4-3 and 11-10 over Okeechobee. Ellis grounded to short to drive home Scrivens with the go-ahead run, and Herr made an over-the-head catch in left field to preserve the first victory over Okeechobee. In the second game, Hernando blew most of an 11-3 lead before holding on to win. Gant pitched a complete game, and first baseman Kadie Sharp caught Scrivens' wide throw from third and tagged the runner for the final out. Scrivens's half-brother, Dee Brown, won a Dixie Majors title with Hernando in 2000. After listening to his stories for the past two years, she is ready to create her own. "I want to win so I can feel that excitement," Scrivens said.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
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