Pretty or not, Rams prevail

Area roundup

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published February 28, 2007

Ridgewood coach Larry Beets said the game was ugly, but the play of Ben Koenigsfeld was American Idol-worthy.

Koenigsfeld was 4-for-4 with four RBIs and a three-run home run, and entered the game in relief to hold off Central 7-5 and give the Rams (6-0) a district victory.

Koenigsfeld stretched his season-long string to 24 innings without allowing an earned run in improving to 3-0.

ZEPHYRHILLS 6, WESLEY CHAPEL 3: The Bulldogs (4-1) got a key two-run single from Josh Jackson to open a close game and cruise to their second win over the Wildcats (2-4) this season. Tyler Guy picked up the win with 5.1 innings of work, with Geoff Parker finishing off the Wildcats for his first save.

RIVER RIDGE 6, GULF 1: The Royal Knights snapped a three-game losing streak by breaking out against the struggling Bucs. After being held to three runs in their previous 30 innings, including a pair of shutout losses to Ridgewood, the Royal Knights (3-3) exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth to beat the Bucs.

Seth Lyons broke a 1-all tie with an RBI single, and Terry Newton followed with a three-run home run. Lyons' winning hit aided his own outstanding effort on the hill, as the Royal Knights ace struck out 10 in five innings to get the win.

BISHOP MCLAUGHLIN 15, HERNANDO CHR. 5: The Hurricanes trounced last year's district runnerup three days after knocking off the defending champ. Jeff Pope and James McCarragher each went 3-for-4, Marcel Duarte doubled twice for Bishop McLaughlin (4-0). Bobby Uzzolinio pitched five innings for his first win.

LAND O'LAKES VS. MITCHELL, SUSP.: The Gators were leading 4-3 thanks to a Brad Patton home run when the fog rolled in and forced the game to be suspended in the top of the sixth with Mitchell batting.

"You can't even see the outfield fence," said Land O'Lakes coach Cal Baisley, whose team led 4-1. The game will be completed when the teams meet at Mitchell on March 22.

Softball

ZEPHYRHILLS 13, WESLEY CHAPEL 0: The Bulldogs scored 10 in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a two-run home run by junior Ashley Anderton and a Heather Patterson RBI double. Kaitlyn Hutchinson and Andrea Durrett pitched for Zephyrhills with Durrett getting her third win of the season. Zephyrhills plays a makeup game at Gulf tonight at 7 p.m.

UMATILLA 13, WIREGRASS RANCH 0: Wiregrass Ranch turned two double plays and got a pair of singles from freshman Casey Raza and two from Regan Knatiks. Bulls freshman Izzy Spence pitched all five innings.

Times staff writer Izzy Gould contributed to this report.

[Last modified February 27, 2007, 23:59:28]