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Win keeps Tampa Bay undefeated in pool play

The tune hasn't changed for Tampa Bay Little League.

Annie Pilger entered Wednesday's game in the fifth and pitched three innings for the win as Tampa Bay defeated Bacolod City of the Philippines 3-1.

Tampa Bay and the Asia Pacific champion were tied 1-1 in the fifth when Pilger, 13, entered the contest. She has pitched in six consecutive games to help Tampa Bay remain undefeated in pool play. "She doesn't know anything about (fatigue)," Tampa Bay coach Larry Rodriguez said. "She just goes out there and sings songs in her head and gets the job done."

Pilger and her teammates keep hitting all the right notes.

Through the district, sectional, state and regional tournaments, and now the World Series, Tampa Bay is 18-0, and Wednesday's victory assured the team a spot in Friday's semifinals. Tampa Bay rounds out pool play today against Pinery Little League, the Central region champion from Wyoming, Mich.

"The girls are real excited and happy," Rodriguez said. "(Today) we hope to improve to 4-0 in pool play and inch that much closer to our golden goal -- to play in that final game and go completely undefeated.

"To go 21-0 at any level is very tough. But they just need to keep their heads level because we have three more games."

The team from the Philippines got on the scoreboard first with four hits and a walk off Tampa Bay starter Lauren Castellvi in the second inning. Castellvi kept her composure, though, and got out of the jam thanks to a great play from rightfielder Chrissy Clingan.

Clingan caught a fly ball for the second out then threw home to nail the runner trying to tag up from third as Tampa Bay got out of the inning surrendering only one run.

The South region champion evened the score in the bottom of the second when Tari Owi led off with a single, Brittany Villa advanced her to second with a bunt and Kerri Croney brought her home with a single.

In the fifth, Castellvi reached on an error to get Tampa Bay going and Owi and Villa followed with singles. Croney then delivered the clutch hit again, driving in two runs to secure the victory. Clingan would have brought home some more runs, but her line drive to third was snared to end another scoring opportunity.

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