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PHU's Hofer a bit better in duel

The Hurricanes top East Lake 1-0, just eking out a run off of Ally May. Countryside beats Clearwater 2-0 in the other 5A-9 semifinal.

CLEARWATER - Against almost any other team, the game East Lake senior Ally May pitched on Tuesday would've been a win. But against Palm Harbor U. and a near perfect Dani Hofer, it was an incredibly good losing effort.

The Hurricanes scored an unearned run in the fourth inning to beat East Lake 1-0 in the Class 5A, District 9 semifinals at Eddie C. Moore Complex.

Countryside took the other semifinal, holding off Clearwater in the seventh inning to win 2-0. The Cougars and Hurricanes advanced to the region tournament next week and will play for the district title at 7 p.m. Thursday.

PHU (22-3) got three hits off of May and the East Lake defense helped the Hurricanes out a bit, committing three errors. One mistake came in the fourth when Heidi Agar hit a fieldable grounder past first base. Two batters later, Agar scored from second when Bryce Crouch sent another shot down the first-base line and Agar beat the throw from rightfield.

May (12-8) battled the Hurricane hitters all night. She pulled the Eagles out of bases-loaded jams twice and had 10 strikeouts.

"Ally May is as good as we will get all year," PHU coach Chuck Poetter said. "She pitched a lights-out game."

Then there was Hofer (16-2), who struck out 17 of 22 batters. She had a perfect game going through six innings, but the Eagles threatened in the seventh. Lead-off batter Rachelle Boucher dropped a hit in centerfield to give East Lake its first runner.

"It didn't surprise me that she put the bat on the ball," Hofer said about Boucher, her travel-ball team teammate. "She's always one of my biggest challenges."

Pinch-hitter Gabby Young laid down a bunt to move Boucher to second. But the Eagles couldn't get her any closer to home.

East Lake coach Brian Riley said each time the Eagles (15-11) play PHU, they get closer and closer.

"We were just trying to make something happen," Riley said. "It seems like every time we play them it's just that one opportunity and we just miss it."

CLEARWATER - Cambridge will go for its 10th consecutive district title on Thursday after making quick work of Keswick Christian 16-0 in five innings at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. The No. 1 seed Lancers will take on Bayshore Christian, who defeated host Lakeside Christian 10-7 in the other semifinal.

Cambridge coach Raymond Tapia remembers a conversation with the school's athletic administrator 10 years ago. "I said, "We're just going to win 10 in a row,' " said Tapia, who is in his fifth season as coach.

The Lancers (24-2) scored two in the top of the first and nine in the second. Brittany Williams, Megan Baker, and Kayla Adams all hit inside-the-park home runs in a frustrating inning for sophomore Crusader ace Rachel Montgomery (9-10). Cambridge starter Samantha Becker faced 15 batters and struck out 12.

"Our goals for the season were far outpassed," said Keswick coach Robin Hintz, whose team improved from 3-17 last season to 12-10. "Today we just wanted to hang in there with them and play seven innings tough."

Lakeside Christian scored two in the first against No. 2 seed Bayshore but gave up a grand slam in the sixth. Lakeside has used several middle school girls this season.

"In the end they outlasted us," Lakeside coach Vergil Morgan said. "We have the youngest team in the district. We will be back."

Cambridge, in comparison, starts eight travel team players each game, and will challenge its school record of 26-3 which they set in 1996 winning their first of two straight state titles.

- ERIC MUSKATEVC