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STEVE LEERiver Ridge survives a rough stretch by ace Kiki Von Holt to eliminate East Bay and move on to the region final.
NEW PORT RICHEY - River Ridge ace Kiki Von Holt had never allowed four straight hits in a game: until Tuesday.
But Von Holt recovered from that stretch, which led to East Bay forging a tie at 4 in the sixth inning, and host River Ridge won 6-4.
The Royal Knights host Lakeland George Jenkins on Friday in a region final.
"I was shocked," River Ridge coach Ernie Beck said, adding he had no intention of pulling the pitcher bidding to lead the Knights to a third straight state berth.
"She's staying in," Beck said of his decision during East Bay's rally.
Von Holt (21-2) scattered seven hits, struck out five and did not walk a batter for the win.
The tie did not last long as River Ridge (25-2) scored twice in the top of the seventh to account for the final margin.
Shauna Ward led off with a single and pinch-hitter Taylor Morris bunted, reaching safely on third baseman Laura Schiffmacher's errant throw. With one out, River Ridge loaded the bases when pitcher Ashley Urbanik muffed Meghan Chaple's bunt.
Ward scored on Janet Houck's single to right and Morris raced home on a passed ball.
"Our philosophy is to win the inning," Beck said. "We didn't win that inning, but we came back."
Urbanik (16-7) struck out 12, but was let down by the Indians' defense, which made four errors. River Ridge bunted often with five runners reaching safely and two on errors.
River Ridge scored twice in the third on bunt singles by Stephanie Seaman, Chaple and Deanna Kiesel with Kiesel driving in Seaman and Chaple scoring on a wild pitch.
"I knew there were going to be a lot of strikeouts," Beck said. "The game plan was short game. They couldn't field a bunt."
Michelle Miller had the first hit of the game, a two-out double in the bottom of the second, and scored on Ward's bunt single.
Kiesel added an RBI double in the fifth, plating Morris, who was pinch-running for Von Holt after the pitcher drew a one-out walk.