Preps

Warhawks' new ace shuts down Warriors

SEMINOLE -- Nobody could have blamed coach Mark DeRuzzo for feeling a bit apprehensive about his pitching prospects for this season.

With one pitcher from last season graduated and another out of the pitching circle due to shoulder surgery, there were hardly any experienced arms returning for district-champion Seminole.

So, Natalie Bale is learning on the job. And doing just fine.

The sophomore picked up a complete-game win Friday, allowing just five hits to Osceola in a 5-2 victory. She said it was not her best performance, but it was plenty good enough to beat an up-and-coming Warriors team.

Seminole (8-3) provided more than enough support in a four-run fourth inning that Bale kicked off with a single. Courtesy runner Melanie Niles took two bases when a sacrifice bunt by Lisa Hasson was misplayed, then scored on a single by Jackie Storm.

Alison Savarese doubled down the leftfield line to score Hasson and make it 2-0, then after Jennifer Taeuber singled and Katie Killalea sacrificed, Shannon Tyson singled to score Savarese. The hit was misplayed in center, allowing Taeuber to make it 4-0.

That was more than enough for Bale to work with. With Hasson rehabilitating a shoulder, the right-hander has been getting the bulk of the starts and learning how to pitch in various situations.

Osceola (5-3) certainly provided one in the bottom of the seventh. With their team down 5-1, Jenna Pine, Megan Stolzenberg and Sarah Bauer filled the bases with no outs. Designated hitter Kayla Griffith came to the plate as the tying run, but the Warriors fell well short of tying.

Griffith hit a grounder to first, where Hasson fielded it and threw home to force Pine. Michelle Tatlock then grounded out to short to score Stolzenberg and make it 5-2, but with two outs, Bale got left-handed batter Sarah Humphrey to ground out to second and end the game.

"It's good to have some situations in games where you have to work," DeRuzzo said.

Seminole figures to have more of those next week in a crucial Class 5A, District 10 home game against Northeast. The Vikings won 5-1 this season and the Warhawks will need to win the rematch to keep hope for a No. 1 district tournament seed.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright