NEW PORT RICHEY - Pasco-Hernando Community College softball coach Tom Ryan hopes his team plays as well in this weekend's tournament as it did last week.
The Conquistadors (14-17, 1-5 Suncoast Conference) have won six of their past eight, including three of four March 20-21 in the PHCC Invitational.
PHCC is scheduled for five games Saturday and Sunday in the Indian River tournament.
"We're doing a lot well," Ryan said. "It's just a question of things going our way. It's a great boost. It's something we needed to have happen to us."
PHCC defeated Hillsborough 2-0, Highland (Ill.) 12-0 and Central Florida 7-3 in the PHCC Invitational. The only loss was 2-1 to tournament champion Manatee.
PHCC followed that series with Tuesday's doubleheader sweep of Highland, 4-1 and 4-0.
Pitcher Jen Clark (Central) has gone 3-1 during PHCC's eight-game stretch to improve to 7-9 with a 2.57 ERA.
Heather Congdon has fueled the offense. The sophomore infielder leads the team with a .306 average and seven doubles. She and Ebony Williams are tied for the team lead with 12 RBIs each. Williams is hitting .303 and has four doubles.
ON A ROLL: PHCC's tennis team, which has won six of its past seven, improved to 13-5 after beating Otterbein (Ohio) 5-4 Monday.
Katie Anderson, Jessica Homerlein and Leah Garcia (Springstead) won singles matches, and PHCC won two of three doubles matches. Homerlein and Anderson won at No.1 doubles, and Garcia and Colleen Jones at No.2.
THE SKIDS: PHCC's baseball team does not have much in common with the school's other spring teams lately.
The Conquistadors (16-17, 3-7) have lost three straight and seven of their past 10. It is the team's second-longest losing skid (PHCC lost six in a row Feb.22-29).
PHCC plays at St. Petersburg College at 7 p.m. Friday. Josh Smith (1-2) is scheduled to start. Those teams also play at PHCC at 1 p.m. Saturday. Shawn Barrett (4-4) will start.
MULTIFACETED: Saint Leo's Sean VanGuilder has displayed his versatility this week. The freshman has been the catcher, right and left fielder and designated hitter.
What he does best is hit. VanGuilder averages a team-high .377 with 13 runs scored and 10 RBIs. He has a team-leading nine stolen bases for the 15-11 Lions.
SWEEP: Saint Leo's softball team (24-15, 2-7) swept Saturday's doubleheader against West Georgia, 4-3 and 3-0.
Hayley Mallory tied the first game with a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth, and Alison Flynn scored the winner on an error in the seventh. Heather Gamlin (11-8) got the win.
Left-hander Katie Heintz (11-7) pitched a two-hitter and struck out 13 in the second game. Mallory had a run-scoring double and solo home run, her third.
