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BOB PUTNAMThe junior pitcher leads Palm Harbor University to a 2-0 win and the region final.
PALM HARBOR - As Cape Coral Mariner's Rachel Holloway extended her arms, the aluminum bat she was swinging made contact.
The ball teetered along the third-base line, leaving Palm Harbor University third baseman Elysha Agen with a decision. Should she pick up the ball, or wait for it to roll foul?
Agen chose the former, scooping up the ball and throwing it to first. Holloway was safe.
As far as hits go, this was pretty bland.
But it was significant.
Holloway's hit, which came in the fourth inning of the Hurricane's 2-0 region semifinal victory, ended an impressive run for Hurricanes pitcher Dani Hofer.
The junior had struck out 24 consecutive batters, a streak that dated to the district final against Countryside two weeks ago.
It was the only interruption among her string of Ks.
Hofer mowed down the rest, as she fanned 21 of 22 batters in all to help PHU advance to the region final, in which the Hurricanes host Countryside/Fort Myers.
"(Mariner) has a good team, but those kids had no idea what they were in for (Tuesday)," Hurricanes coach Chuck Poetter said. "Dani had it going."
Relying more on finesse than velocity, Hofer set the tone by striking out the side in the first inning.
Hofer also had a single in the bottom of the first that led to a run. Amanda Roeding, pinch-running for Hofer, scored on a single by Agen.
It was all the offense Hofer needed.
Paralyzing batters with a variety of pitches, Hofer struck out the side in the second and third inning. In the fourth, two more batters whiffed before Holloway got on base.
"I was yelling foul on the ball that (Holloway) hit," Hofer said. "Our third baseman wasn't able to hear me. But there's nothing you can about that."
Said Poetter: "I asked our catcher which direction the ball was going. She said it was going to stay fair. Our third baseman made the right call."
Hofer shook off the hit and continued her mastery by delivering pitches from a seemingly infinite array of arm angles. The only time Mariner threatened to have another batter reach base was when Holloway came up in the seventh inning.
Hofer fell behind 3-0 in the count. No problem. She reached back and threw three consecutive strikes. The last pitch moved so well, Holloway leaned out of the batters box before the ball turned toward the inside corner of the plate. Holloway argued the call and was ejected.
"Everything came together," Hofer said.