Alonso edges past Sickles

The Gryphons' mistakes prove costly in its 3-1 loss to the Ravens.

By JEREMY RASMUSSEN
Published March 31, 2005

CITRUS PARK - Alonso and Sickles were admittedly rusty in their first game back from spring break. The Gryphons were rustier, though, figuring out almost every possible way to commit a mistake in a 3-1 Class 5A, District 7 loss.

Alonso's Lisa Rozanski scored on a passed ball in the first and throwing error in the fourth. Morgan Grove also scored in the fourth. She was called out on strikes but reached on a passed ball. She advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a throwing error.

On the bright side, Gryphons leftfielder Morgan McGuire backed up another overthrow to third and fired home for the third out of the fourth.

Despite its seven errors, Sickles (7-3) still had chances. Richelle Mirabal and Khrystyne Ely reached third in the fourth. But Mirabal was gunned down at the plate by shortstop Erika Sanjuan, and Ely was stranded when Chelsea Vance caught Katie Ely's line drive to right.

Angela Blockburger scored for Sickles in the fifth on a standup triple by freshman Courtney Flach, who also made outstanding plays in rightfield.

Ashleigh Grove (7-1) got the win for the Ravens (8-2), striking out six while walking none and scattering four hits.

"For some reason, we get stronger defensively as the game goes on," Alonso coach Robin Kopp said. "I guess if the game went on for 20 innings, we'd do great."

TAMPA - Visiting Gaither took advantage of a heap of Wharton errors in a 15-2 win.

Wharton coach Melana Daste said she had not seen her team, which committed eight errors, play such poor defense this season.

"The errors just killed us," Daste said. "You can't win with all those errors. We just had a bad game. This was our worst game by far as far as errors go."

The Cowboys (5-4) set the tone early, scoring two runs in the first when a shot by third baseman Meghan Johnson tipped off the glove of third baseman Ashley Bellamy.

Gaither added two runs in the third when rightfielder Caitlyn Bliss and pitcher Ashley Rowe scored on an error. Wharton committed three errors in that inning.

Gaither scored four in the fourth, pounding three triples, including one by Rowe.

The Wildcats (5-4) committed three errors in the final three innings and gave up runs, including a six-run seventh. Wharton scored its only runs in the sixth on a triple by shortstop Angela Austin that scored two. Sophomore pitcher Kendall Arnold (3-4) took the loss.

Rowe (3-3) got the win for Gaither, pitching three scoreless innings. The senior struck out six, walked one and gave up one hit. "(Rowe) pitched a good game," Gaither coach Jim Morrisey said. "She threw a lot of strikeouts, which is good. She dominated."

- THOMAS SIMONETTI, Times correspondent

[Last modified March 31, 2005, 01:28:16]