The Bloomingdale graduate was invaluable as a pitcher the past two seasons.
By TERRY JONES
Published June 3, 2004
VALRICO - Allison Kime did not start her softball career on the mound.
In her first few years playing youth softball, Kime could be found behind the plate for her team and the all-star squads on which she always earned spots.
After a couple of years, her coach insisted she move from catcher to pitcher, and her dad paid for private lessons from Ray Carver, who had helped many young pitchers in Hillsborough County. Kime later switched to Monica Triner, an all-state pitcher from East Bay and an all-American at the University of South Florida.
In her freshman and sophomore seasons at Bloomingdale, Kime played second base. Though she pitched a game here and there in her first two years with the Bulls, she did not lead the mound rotation until her junior season.
She blasted onto the county and state scene as a junior with a 12-3 record, 164 strikeouts and a 0.35 ERA. With a porous defense behind her and weak hitting by most of her Bloomingdale teammates, the Bulls did not make a big impression in the postseason that year.
That was last year. This year Bloomingdale got bullish on defense and hit .315 as a team. The seniors recorded a season batting average of .365.
Kime went undefeated until the state semifinals. She finished the season with a 22-1 record, a 0.42 ERA and 292 strikeouts. She also was the leader on offense. Her batting average was .438 and she scored 26 runs and had 14 RBIs.
Her performance throughout the season earned her recognition as the Times Hillsborough Softball Player of the Year.
"I consider it an honor to be selected as the player of the year for Hillsborough County," she said. "There were a lot of very good players in our county this year. But that only has significance on the field and only because my teammates did so well for the season. I look at it as a recognition of their season and their play as a team."
Coach Mike Clamon, the Times Coach of the Year, molded a senior-dominated group of talented athletes into a highly competitive team. He led Bloomingdale to a 28-3 record and a semifinal berth in the state finals.
"Allison is simply unbelievable," Clamon said. "She was the leader the team rallied around all year long. In four years, I don't remember her missing a practice or even being late. She never complained and always encouraged her teammates. This is the best team I have ever coached at Bloomingdale. I will never forget any of these girls."
Kime signed to play for the University of Tampa and will major in sports management.
Eventually, she hopes to live in the area.
"This has been a great year for our team and for myself," she said. I wish had won just two more games, but that is sports.
"I certainly will miss my teammates and coaches, plus the other friends I made at Bloomingdale. However, I won't be too far away next year."
ALL- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTYSOFTBALL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Allison Kime, Bloomingdale, Senior pitcher. 22-1, 0.42 ERA, 292 strikeouts, .438 batting average, 26 runs, 14 RBIs.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Clamon, Bloomingdale. Led team to 28-3 mark and Class 6A semifinal.
FIRST TEAM
PITCHERS Jennifer Jacobs, Academy of Holy Names, Sr., ERA 0.14, 201 strikeouts, .588 BA
Samantha Becker, Cambridge, Jr., ERA 0.56, 151 strikeouts, .515 BA
Ashley Urbanik, East Bay, Jr., ERA 0.89, 258 strikeouts, .403 BA
Amanda Roehn, Berkeley Prep, Sr., ERA 0.56, 151 strikeouts
