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East side rivalry begins tourney

Zephyrhills and Pasco meet tonight to determine the semifinal opponent for top seed Bartow in 3A-10.

ZEPHYRHILLS - A fourth consecutive playoff berth for Pasco is unlikely.

In fact, the Pirates, who last season advanced to a region final before losing to eventual Class 3A state champion Bartow, might not get past the first round.

Pasco plays Zephyrhills in tonight's 3A, District 10 opener at 7:30 at Bartow. The Bulldogs won both regular-season meetings - 8-2 and 6-1 - between the east county rivals.

"I'm sure the kids feel good about playing (Pasco) again," Zephyrhills assistant Tom Reese said.

"The last three years, we've made it out of districts, but we don't have (a pitching) ace. That's the difference," Pasco assistant Lisa Herndon said.

Ashley McSwain (2-6, 4.09 ERA) or Janelle Capehart (3-4, 2.55) will pitch the opener for Pasco, the only team without a district win (0-8).

Heather Stroud also has pitched, but the Pirates' best all-around player (pitcher/catcher/shortstop) is needed behind the plate.

Regardless of where she plays, Stroud's bat is needed. She leads the Pirates in four categories: .321 average, 18 hits, 12 runs and 15 stolen bases.

For Zephyrhills, there is no choice for a starting pitcher. Ace Jessica Reese (7-6, 2.59, 69 strikeouts), Tom's daughter, will be on the mound.

Reese, a junior, tossed her only no-hitter in the 6-1 win over Pasco. She struck out eight and walked three in that contest that included a home run by Terra Rosensweig.

Zephyrhills also got a stellar pitching effort in the first game against Pasco. Melissa Miller struck out a career-high 10 and scattered seven hits.

The Bulldogs got plenty of offense in that contest. Sarah Johnson went 4-for-4 with two runs and an RBI; Hillary Tunker went 3-for-5, knocked in a run and scored twice; and Meagan Smith had two RBIs.

While unbeaten Bartow (22-0), ranked first in 3A, and Mulberry are the top seeds, Tom Reese does not rule out the Bulldogs pulling off an upset.

"I truly believe if there's any team in the district that can take out Bartow, it's us," said Reese, whose team lost 11-0 and 7-0 to Bartow this season.

Wesley Chapel is the county's other team in the tourney. The Wildcats reeled off a school-record four-game winning streak this season and won seven games, two more than their previous best (five wins in 2001).