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Softball standout named tournament MVP

Several young athletes are lending college teams their talents.

By ROD GIPSON
Published March 20, 2005

CARROLLWOOD - As a freshman for East Carolina's softball team two years ago, Krista Jessup started 52 of the Pirates' 55 games. Last season she was limited to 57 starts in 72 games. In 2005, she's already ahead of that pace. With 29 starts in as many games this season, Jessup has continued to solidify herself in the ECU lineup.

A 2002 Chamberlain High School graduate, Jessup was a standout catcher at the prep level. As she continues through her collegiate career, she has only improved. In addition to being a solid defensive catcher (182 putouts) and her duties of handling ECU's pitching staff, Jessup has been on a tear at the plate.

After scoring the winning run on a wild pitch in ECU's 5-4 win against College of Charleston last weekend, Jessup was named MVP of the Winthrop Invitational tournament. And with a .351 batting average, Jessup is among the Pirates' top hitters. She has 27 hits to go along with 16 runs and 16 RBI. And she recently hit her first home run of the season as the Pirates rallied to defeat Saint Louis 7-5 in both teams' Conference USA series opener. East Carolina won two of the three games.

"That win came directly as a result of our bats," said ECU coach Tracey Kee. "Whenever you put 10 hits on the board, you're probably going to win that ballgame.

"Our bats were in the first game, fell asleep in the second, and came back in the third, and Krista was a big part of them coming back."

Wharton High School graduate Josh Spivey is enjoying a solid season with the Florida State University baseball team. Spivey is batting .290 with 11 starts on the season. He has scored two runs, has nine hits and two doubles, and has knocked in eight runs.

University of Tampa softball infielder Natalie Ippolito has started 22 games for the Spartans this season. Ippolito, a sophomore at UT and a 2003 graduate of Chamberlain High School, has been a key on defense for UT, filling in throughout the infield. She has seven hits, three walks and 16 putouts.

University of North Florida golfer Mike Giammaresi placed 10th at the Hackler Invitational March 14-15 at TPC of Myrtle Beach. Giammaresi, a sophomore from Wharton High School, shot rounds of 73-75-74 to finish in the top 10 and led UNF to an eighth-place team finish.

Jefferson High School graduate Alfredo Cabale has three hits in his two starts for the Eckerd College baseball team. A sophomore outfielder, Cabale knocked in a run during the Tritons' 15-5 loss to Nova on March 12.

[Last modified March 19, 2005, 08:39:05]