Junior Ashley Urbanik leads the Indians past Hillsborough and into the title game.
By DON JENSEN
Published April 29, 2004
TAMPA - Ashley Urbanik is becoming a control addict at the right time.
The East Bay junior right-hander fired her fourth no-hitter of the season Wednesday as the Indians shut out Hillsborough 2-0 to advance to the Class 5A, District 8 championship game against Plant.
And guess who'll be on the mound tonight at 7 against the top-seeded host Panthers, who defeated Brandon 5-3? That's right - Urbanik.
"There's no doubt who'll be out there for us," East Bay coach Glenn Rodriguez said after watching Urbanik come within one walk of a perfect game. "She was in control and didn't throw that many pitches. This was the best game I've ever seen her throw."
Urbanik (15-5) was masterful. She struck out 15 Terriers and faced only two three-ball counts, both to losing pitcher Keyana Terry. Urbanik's quest for a perfect game ended with one out in the sixth when Terry walked on a 3-1 count.
"I wasn't even thinking about a perfect game," Urbanik said. "I just concentrated on getting all four of my pitches in the strike zone."
Urbanik threw 61 of 86 pitches for strikes. She stayed ahead of the hitters by recording 13 of 22 first-pitch strikes.
Urbanik also supplied the key offensive moment. With two outs in the bottom of the first, Crystal Hill hit the first of her two doubles and Urbanik followed with an RBI single. Urbanik then scored when Taylor Whidden reached on an infield error.
"That's what we've been doing lately - getting a couple of early runs and holding on," Rodriguez said. "Having the lead relaxed Urbanik and she pitched a beautiful game."
Terry (6-7) was tough on East Bay. She went the distance, allowing only two hits after the first.
Urbanik will be no stranger to Plant, which has beaten her in two previous contests this year. The Panthers have won by scores of 4-0 and 1-0, a game in which Rodriguez said Urbanik struck out 20.
Plant (20-6) managed only four hits against Brandon (12-14). The Panthers bunched three of them into the fourth, when they scored four times for a 5-0 lead. Kerri Croney's bases-loaded double scored three after Katie Grimes laid down a run-scoring bunt single against loser Melissa Heger (6-8).
Brandon wasted numerous scoring opportunities against winner Anne Pilger (7-2) and two relievers. The Eagles failed to score in the first after loading the bases with one out, and stranded eight runners. Brandon scored three unearned runs in the seventh on an infield throwing error, but had a runner thrown out at third on the play for the final out.
Five Brandon errors led to two unearned runs.
Pilger pitched two-hit, shutout ball for four innings before Megan Menard and Kelly Betts finished up.
Plant and East Bay both have qualified for regional playoffs which begin next week.
