The team still records its best finish ever in the Angels division, coming in third place.
By STEVE LEE
Published August 11, 2004
NEW PORT RICHEY - Dixie Softball League officials doled out medals for the West Pasco Angels after their third-place World Series finish last week at Bay St. Louis, Miss.
But West Pasco manager Frank Guercio felt his 9- and 10-year-old players deserved another memento, so he bought trophies for each player.
"They gave (the Angels) medallions, but I know as a kid playing sports there's nothing better than having a trophy," Guercio said. "Now they'll have something to put on their shelves."
West Pasco (3-2) bowed out of the double-elimination tournament after Wednesday's 15-5 semifinal loss to Alabama. Finishing third was the highest for a West Pasco Angels team, surpassing fifth-place finishes in 2001 and '02.
"Third place sounds pretty good," Guercio said. "We played five games in the World Series and at one point we were 3-1."
Walks hurt West Pasco the most. Against Alabama, West Pasco pitchers walked 22, including 19 by starter Jessi Allen.
"We couldn't get any pitching," Guercio said. "Once my ace struggled and couldn't throw strikes ... You really need five good pitchers and I had four."
Though Allen struggled in her final outing, Guercio was quick to point out her contributions.
Allen hit a team-high .580 at the World Series and had a key hit in West Pasco's third win, 1-0 over North Carolina in eight innings. Allen hit a leadoff double down the leftfield line in the top of the eighth, then scored on Lea Burbridge's base hit up the middle.
"We wouldn't have been there without her," Guercio said. "Even though she struggled (in the semifinal) she was a leader on our team. If she was pitching up to her potential I really believe we would have won that tournament."
Heidi Crider and Bianca Presti each hit .500 in the series and Caitlan Rambo .333 with a team-leading six walks.
Defensively, second baseman Cassidy Guercio, the manager's daughter, was in on two of the team's three double plays. One was an unassisted 4-3 on a grounder and another came when she caught a popup in shallow right and doubled a runner off first base.
"We had a real lot of fun," manager Guercio said.
The Angels and Ponytails, who finished fifth at Alexandria, La., gave West Pasco two World Series teams this season. That marked an improvement over last summer when West Pasco failed to send a team to a Series.
West Pasco's Angels have advanced to the World Series in four of the five years since the DSL allowed teams in that division to compete at that level.
The Angels' third-place finish was a league-best since the Ponytails placed third in the 2001 Series.
