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Sports & Recreation

Softball was a job, but girls had fun

The 14-game winning streak ended one game shy of the Little League World Series, but the state champs said it was "a cool experience."

By THOMAS SIMONETTI
Published August 12, 2005

After an impressive 14-game winning streak that lasted most of the summer, the girls from Bloomingdale Little League have finally gotten back to their regular lives.

All summer the girls played and they played. After a while, it seemed like softball was a full-time job.

"We really didn't have any time to do anything else," said catcher Nicci Hopps, who hit five home runs over the summer. "We were either at practice or games or a team party. It was a really cool experience."

First, Bloomingdale won the district tournament, then it was sectionals. Then "The Blitz," as they decided to call themselves, beat Bayshore/West Tampa 5-2 to win the state championship.

Everything came to a close though in the finals of the Southern Regional tournament last week. Bloomingdale was one win from a berth in the Little League Softball World Series in Portland, Ore., a place no other Bloomingdale 11- and 12-year-old team had been.

Bloomingdale lost 2-1 in extra innings against McLean Little League, Virginia's state champion.

When it was all over, they sat one last time in the grass in front of their coach, former major leaguer Jeff Carter.

"I told them that I know the hurt they're going through just from personal experience," said Carter who played several years of professional baseball, including a stint in the big leagues with the Chicago White Sox in 1991. "It's hard to relate to 11- and 12-year-old girls but I told them that I've been in somewhat similar situations, losing in the college World Series final back in my playing days."

Carter, who graduated from Brandon High in 1982, played for the University of Tampa baseball team that lost in the championship game of the 1987 College World Series.

"It's crushing, and it hurts - and it hurts because they care," Carter said. "These kids are resilient, and they will bounce back. But right now it's hard for them to realize what they have accomplished. What they see now is just the sudden end. They don't see the 14 wins before this."

A lot of teamwork contributed to Bloomingdale's success. It was the pitching by Jennifer Owens, Alexa Lopez and Tory Bohanan. It was home runs from slugger Nicci Hopps. McKenzie Carter, Sophia Tarte, Kayla Jurrens and Devyn White anchored the infield. Laura Swartz, Stephanie Buehler, Kelly Nader and Leah Pemberton played outfield.

"It's just been a whirlwind the last few weeks," Carter said. "It probably will start to make more sense to me after I get a chance to reflect. Right now, it's just a pride that I feel for each and every one of them - not just my own child (McKenzie). I knew that these girls had the heart."

[Last modified August 11, 2005, 08:56:11]