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Little League

Dreary '04 forgotten as Lookouts win state

By STEVE LEE
Published July 27, 2005

NEW PORT RICHEY - It seems that the timeframe to go from upstart travel softball team to champion is three seasons.

Such is the case for the Lookouts, a team of 10-and-under players primarily from West Pasco who went 1-14 in the spring of 2004 and 15-24 that fall.

The team had a dramatic turnaround this spring, finishing 24-15. That mark included nine consecutive playoff wins en route to International Softball Association Central District and state titles.

"It's the experience that they gained, and their level of play improved dramatically," said manager Phil Kinney, who coached Dixie Softball League teams in West Pasco 10 years before organizing the Lookouts.

"To go from 1-14 to where we won the states, it's huge."

Both series were played in Bartow with the Lookouts breezing to the Central District title. The Lookouts went 4-0 in that tourney, outscoring opponents 19-4, including a 5-2 defeat of the Clearwater Bombers for the championship.

Five additional victories gave the Lookouts a state title with the team outscoring foes 30-9. That included a 5-4 comeback win over the Jacksonville Players in the final.

The Lookouts overcame a pair of two-run deficits in that game. Sami Bandini singled in the top of the seventh and pinch-runner Carly Mock stole home for the decisive run. Pitcher Nichole Lewis earned the win.

Because they came out of the winner's bracket, the Lookouts could have lost that game and faced Jacksonville in a rematch.

"We had that one-game cushion," Kinney said.

The high-powered Lookouts offense resulted in a .389 batting average at state and .314 at district.

Five players averaged .417 or better in the state series. Rachel Enerson batted a team-leading .529; Bandini, .471; Lewis, .462; Jaclyn Amato, .444; and Emma Fivecoat, .417.

Enerson, Lewis and Amato handled the bulk of the pitching load.

[Last modified July 27, 2005, 01:04:17]