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West Pasco Angels' heaven in Alabama
By STEVE LEE, Times Staff Writer NEW PORT RICHEY -- The West Pasco Angels have reached the Dixie Softball League World Series in each of the two years since the league expanded its playoff format to include the 9-10 age group. The defending state champions, who placed fifth in last year's World Series, open Saturday in Eufaula, Ala., against Mississippi at 4 p.m. "I would love to see the girls win a World Series and I think they have the ability to do so," West Pasco assistant Sheri Garland said. Added West Pasco assistant Ron Larson, "You can't take nothing away from these girls. They're winners." West Pasco won District 4 and state championships and is 9-2 in the playoffs thanks, in large part, to pitching depth and a solid defense. "Courtney Dougherty is our strongest pitcher, but we have four other strong pitchers," Garland said. Dougherty struck out 13 and walked three while pitching a one-hitter in the state final, a 1-0 win over Okeechobee. Jennifer Karl, Danielle Schulman, Jillie Eiland and Cortney Radke have helped West Pasco to a 113-33 strikeout-to-walk ratio and five shutouts, giving up 15 hits and 11 runs. "We have four or five pitchers we can throw at any point," West Pasco manager Tony Cherry said. "We could pitch one an inning (Angels games last five innings) if we wanted to." Defensively, West Pasco has committed 11 errors in 11 games. "We do have some strong pitchers, but defense has been a strong suit, too," Cherry said. "It seems like, at one point or another, somebody different steps up to make a play." Rightfielder Eiland doubling up a runner off third base on a tag-up attempt, Karl's diving catches in centerfield, Auburn Cherry's stellar play at second base and first baseman Samantha Stahl snaring a line drive are among the standout plays manager Cherry has seen from his team. Like most championship-caliber teams, West Pasco has balance, scoring 65 runs, including 10 runs or more in four games. "Even in the tighter games when it's a little closer, we just seem to muster up a hit when we have to," Cherry said. West Pasco has three 1-0 wins and a 2-1 victory. In the state final, Schulman scored the lone run when Samantha Jolly was hit by a pitch. West Pasco edged Hernando 1-0 on Taylor Bruckner's home run in the district final. West Pasco has four hitters batting .300 or better: Dougherty at .533, Bruckner .357, Karl .350 and Eiland .300. Statistics aside, the coaches know every team is a state champion and it's up to the players. "There's no more we can teach these girls," Larson said. "They're going to play and have fun."
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From today's Pasco Times Letters |
