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LAURA LEE'Canes strand 12 before making their hits count in a 2-0 win against Niceville.
TAMPA - After a while, Palm Harbor University was not appeased by just getting on base. Frustration set in for the Hurricanes as inning after inning passed with baserunners walking off the field without coming home.
After eight innings and 12 stranded runners in the Class 5A state semifinal, PHU finally got a timely hit from freshman Elysha Agen in the ninth, driving in the first of two runs for the Hurricanes in their 2-0 win against Niceville (28-3) at Ed Radice Complex.
The Hurricanes (27-3) play in the championship game tonight at 8.
The game was scoreless through eight. PHU's Dani Hofer (21-2) contained the Golden Eagles to just two hits and had 20 strikeouts. Niceville's Kayla Collins (27-3) was strong on the mound, but couldn't keep the Hurricanes from reaching base. Unfortunately for PHU, she kept them from scoring - at least until the ninth inning.
As she did every time she came up to bat, Tara Toscano got on base in the ninth. Toscano reached first on a lead-off walk and Kristina Hilberth followed with a grounder to Niceville's third baseman, who went for the force out at second. But the Golden Eagles didn't cover second and Toscano and Hilberth were both safe on base. Hofer came up with a bunt to advance the runners and Agen came through a drive to leftfield, allowing Toscano to score.
"It was just a good pitch," said Agen, who earned a starting position at third base halfway through the season. "I was just trying to relax. I was so uptight about everything because of my at-bats before.
Entering the ninth, Agen was 0-for-4. Just like PHU's No. 5 batter, Crystal Eubanks. But Eubanks came out of her funk in the ninth as well and singled to right, bringing home Hilberth for PHU's second run.
PHU stranded 15 on the night. "You can't continue to leave baserunner after baserunner after baserunner," said PHU coach Chuck Poetter, adding that Niceville was the toughest team they had faced this season.
The Golden Eagles had fewer chances to get an edge; they had just three baserunners in the game.
"We just couldn't get the key hit and they finally did," Niceville coach Danny Hensley said.
The Hurricanes will be playing for their first 5A title. They won a 4A state championship in 1999 and were runnersup in 2000.
"I can't wait to play," Hofer said about today's game. "Hopefully we'll have good memories at the end."