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© St. Petersburg Times, published March 7, 2003
Emily Bayer was 11-2 with a 0.45 ERA and 121 strikeouts last season.
Turns out, she was just getting warmed up.
The Crystal River senior, who pitches and plays outfield for the Pirates (3-2), is 2-0 and has not allowed an earned run in 14 innings.
"I think I have more movement on the ball this year," Bayer said. "But I still need to get my speed up. I have to work on that."
The 5-foot-9 Bayer, a first-team all-area pick while leading Crystal River to the region final in 2002, is a four-year varsity starter. She had a perfect game last year against Dunnellon.
Bayer recently committed to Pasco-Hernando Community College, where she expects to keep playing two positions.
On the mound, Bayer is a softball version of Atlanta Braves ace Greg Maddux. She isn't overpowering, but her ball moves well and she has good control.
"I know how to spot it," Bayer said. "And I've got good movement. ... I've got a lot of confidence. You have to. That's the key thing."
Bayer's best pitch is her riseball, but she also has a solid dropball.
Before her junior year, she transferred from Lecanto, where she was honorable mention all-area as a sophomore after recording nine of the Panthers' 14 victories and a 1.14 ERA. Bayer led the county in strikeouts that season with 117 despite being sidelined much of the spring after experiencing numbness, tingling and sharp pain in her pitching arm.
On some teams, Bayer might pitch every game. But because Crystal River also uses junior Cassie Pearson, Bayer throws about 50 percent of the time.
"I think it's pretty fair," Bayer said. "Cassie will normally pitch to a team in the first (meeting) and I will the next."
Given a choice, Bayer prefers to pitch.
"I feel like I'm more involved in the game," she said. "In the outfield, you're just standing out there sometimes. It can get boring. (Wednesday night) I got one ball hit to me."
FAST START: Citrus catcher Whitney Gelin has opened the season as well as any county player, Hurricanes coach Scott Waters says.
The senior standout has 7 hits (3 doubles) in her past 8 at-bats.
"She's on fire," Waters said. "Offensively, she's off to a good start. And defensively, she's as good as she has always been, if not better."
Gelin was known for her defensive skills in past seasons, but Waters said her hitting has greatly improved. Better swing timing, an area that was her weakness, has been the key to Gelin's newfound offensive prowess.
"She's meeting the ball where she should be meeting it now," Waters said.
Gelin, a two-time state weightlifting champion, has received attention from several colleges, and could be close to announcing her decision. Signing day is in April.
"She has got everything," Waters said. "That's not bragging. That's telling it like it is."
ODDS AND ENDS: Seven Rivers Christian (0-2) has received strong performances from shortstop Melissa Hamilton and catcher Anna Mitchell.
Mitchell has played in place of starter Beth Linley, who has an ankle injury but should return next week.