River Ridge star does it on the mound and at the plate for River Ridge.
By JAMAL THALJI
Published May 21, 2004
TAMPA - Let's dispense with the debate, shall we? Kiki Von Holt is the greatest arm to grasp and fling a softball in Pasco County history.
Three trips to state in a four-year career in which the River Ridge standout has pitched every tough inning of three state semifinals and two state finals is proof enough.
But in that extra, extra-inning Class 5A state semifinal Thursday night against Naples, ranked second in the state, Von Holt outdid herself.
It wasn't just her arm that kept the seventh-ranked Royal Knights in the game. When her team needed her most in the perilous bottom of the 11th inning, Von Holt's bat came up just as big at the Ed Radice Sports Complex.
After 10 innings of shutout ball, Naples and River Ridge finally pounded out some runs in the 11th.
An error by catcher Danielle Denney chasing down a popup - the ball slipped out of her glove in the infield - allowed the Golden Eagles to get on base. Then a triple and a run-scoring groundout put Naples on top 2-0.
Back came River Ridge. Jillian Ryan and Stephanie Seaman walked to get on. Meghan Chaple's sacrifice bunt moved up a spot. Then Jane Houck blasted a single to score Ryan and cut the lead to 2-1.
Up came Von Holt, who blasted a sacrifice flyout to deep left to score Seaman and make it 2-2. It was Von Holt's team-leading 23rd RBI of the season.
As the game wore on, Von Holt only toughened up on the mound in the second extra-innings state semifinal of her storied career. After 13 innings of work, she struck out 12 (giving her 235 for the season), allowed five hits, walked two and hit one batter.
