A little drama for unbeaten Chiefs

Chamberlain rallies for a 4-3 win over district rival Gaither.

By THOMAS SIMONETTI
Published March 13, 2005

TAMPA - Chamberlain pulled out a nine-inning 4-3 thriller against district rival Gaither on Saturday to remain undefeated.

In the ninth, senior Ashley Arcuri singled with the bases loaded for the winning run. The Chiefs trailed almost the entire game.

"A win is a win," Chamberlain coach Bobby Diez said. "A credit to my team. They kept playing."

The Chiefs had a tough time getting things going on offense while the Cowboys (5-4) quietly opened a 3-0 lead after three innings. In the fifth inning, with the score 3-1, Gaither threatened again, opening with a single.

Diez immediately went to his bench and brought junior Kelly Confer in to pitch for starter Brittany Cavali. Then the momentum switched sides. Confer, who arrived late because she took her SAT earlier in the day, shut down the Cowboys, striking out 11 in the final five innings.

"Confer was the difference," Diez said. "Kelly kind of stopped everything. When she came into the game, she took it over."

With Confer on the mound, Chamberlain had a chance to get back in the game. Things started clicking for the Chiefs in the seventh inning when they loaded the bases with one out. Senior Courtney Lawrence scored on an infield ground ball and Confer doubled in the tying run.

Confer retired 15 of 18 and didn't give up a hit. She walked two. The Cowboys grabbed the early lead with Jamie Tadla's RBI double in the second inning. Gaither made it 2-0 in the third on an RBI single from pitcher Ashley Rowe. Megan Baker gave Gaither a 3-0 lead on a Chamberlain throwing error and in the fourth inning. The Chiefs got on the board when Rowe walked in Lawrence with the bases loaded in the inning.

Rowe (2-3) had a complete game for the Cowboys, giving up four runs on 14 hits while walking eight and striking out nine.

The Class 5A, District 7 win gives the Chiefs (6-0) some revenge after Gaither beat them in the district final last season.

[Last modified March 13, 2005, 00:23:15]