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© St. Petersburg Times, published March 15, 2003
TARPON SPRINGS -- East Lake coach Bob Hudson had seen it before this season. So did Tarpon Springs coach Craig Drake.
The Eagles had gone 11 innings with River Ridge and won by a run. The Spongers didn't fare so well in a 12-inning loss to Mitchell. Call it experience, but Hudson knew what to do in the 10th inning when he saw third base open with Ashley May rounding second.
"I saw her coming around and I saw third open, so I waved on," Hudson said. "Kind of goes to show, you never know what a bunt can do."
After an infield error on Rachelle Boucher's bunt, May headed for third. An attempt to throw out May at third went into foul territory and May kept going, sliding home to give the Eagles a 3-2 win.
East Lake's Ally May (3-2) and the Spongers' Dana Aldrich pitched all 10 innings. May kept Tarpon's bats quiet with 19 strikeouts. Aldrich struck out eight. Each gave up four hits.
"I tried to get her to come out, and she wouldn't have it," Hudson said. "She has been battling a bit of tendinitis over the past week, but she wouldn't let me take her out."
Aldrich (4-3) has pitched in all seven Sponger games.
Tarpon scored twice in the third inning. East Lake (6-3) scored twice in the fifth to knot the score. All five runs in the game were unearned.
"If we don't commit an error, we win the game," Drake said. "We've lost all of our games except for one by one run. We could be 5-1 right now."
May's only two losses came against Palm Harbor and Countryside.
"She was outstanding tonight. She pitched a great game," Hudson said. "Anyone, on both sides of the field, who pitches 10 innings, is outstanding. It was a great game and that's what we're here for."