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Softball notebook

By IZZY GOULD
Published March 9, 2007

Home run derby

NEW PORT RICHEY - Call it softball's rendition of the home run chase.

Zephyrhills slugger Jessica Davis was tied with Mitchell's Courtney Stager for the county lead in home runs, each with six entering Thursday's game between the Bulldogs and Mustangs. Others in the hunt include Mustangs senior Ashley Stager four homers.

Davis should have college scouts salivating after belting three home runs in three games. Courtney Stager pulled her total to six after she three home runs in a win last week against Ridgewood.

We were there: For coverage of the Zephyrhills-Mitchell game, look in today's sports section.

Back in the fold

Amber Starkey made sure her cell phone was juiced.

The Ridgewood coach had to miss Thursday's game against Pasco to chaperone a competition in Orlando with students from three schools in various academic/vocational contests.

Her vacancy put former varsity coach Greg Bollinger back in the dugout for one game.

Bollinger stepped down after three seasons because it overlapped with basketball, he hurt his foot and he didn't want to miss anymore of his daughter's Little League games.

Bollinger coaches JV softball, volleyball and basketball.

"Coaching sports is so time consuming," Bollinger said. "This year doing three sports every day after school I have somewhere to be. It's taxing on my body and I'm not 30 anymore. I'm enjoying myself."

Back on the hill

The welt is gone and River Ridge ace Nicole Denney is back on the mound. Turns out she did have a concussion after a ball smacked her in the head before a game at Land O'Lakes last week. Denney and her mom went to four hospitals in two days before she finally was diagnosed.

She missed one game and a few practices before returning Tuesday. The junior pitched four innings and picked up her seventh win against Central.

River Ridge coach Ernie Beck said Denney looked a little rusty, but expected her to be back to form for Thursday's game against Gulf.

"She was pitching okay, but she wasn't back," Beck said. "It's amazing those kids take a day or two off and it takes them a little while to get back."

Denney learned one lesson from the experience. "Watch the ball," she said with a laugh.

Got any plans?

Check out some of these key in-county games tonight: Hudson at Gulf, 7 p.m. Nature Coast at Zephyrhills, 7 p.m. Wiregrass Ranch at Mitchell, 7 p.m. Hernando at Pasco, 8 p.m.

Izzy Gould can be reached at igould@tampabay.com or (813) 909-4619.

Softball statistics

BATTING MIN. 20 AT-BATS Player, team H AB AVG.

Simon, R.R. 19 27 .704

Scott, AL 15 23 .652

Hunnewell, AL 16 27 .593

Stager, A. Mit 16 27 .593

McKonly, R.R. 17 29 .586

Burchfield, Pas 14 24 .583

Davis, Zep 16 29 .552

Schneider, Pas 16 30 .533

Farmer, Pas 11 21 .524

Saastamonien, Mit 12 23 .522

Miller, R.R. 15 29 .517

Rish, R.R. 15 30 .500

Tamburri, R.R. 13 26 .500

Seymour, Mit 14 29 .483

Hay, AL 15 32 .469

Fennimore, Hud 13 29 .448

Wisnieswki, Gulf 17 n/a .447

Cotto, Rid 11 25 .440

Mayhill, Gulf 18 n/a .439

Hartman, Zep 10 23 .435

Fellman, Gulf 17 n/a .425

Gardner, Gulf 16 n/a .421

Stager, C. Mit 14 34 .412

Black, Zep 11 27 .407

DOUBLES

Davis, Zep 6

Fennimore, Hud 6

Schneider, Pas 6

Wisniewski, Gulf 6

Lazar, Cn. Pas 5

McKonly, R.R. 5

Saastamonien, Mit 5

Scott, AL 5

Seymour, Mit 5

Hartman, Zep 4

Stager, A. Mit 4

Anderton, Zep 3

Farmer, Pas 3

McCall, Zep 3

Miller, R.R. 3

Lamb, R.R. 3

Slotter, Rid 3

Stager, C. Mit 3

Ward, R.R. 3

TRIPLES

McKonly, R.R. 6

Scott, AL 4

Hunnewell, AL 3

McCall, Zep 2

Santoli, Gulf 2

Stager, A. Mit 2

Ward, AL 2

Wisniewski, Gulf 2

HOME RUNS

Davis, Zep 6

Stager, C. Mit 6

Stager, A. Mit 4

Anderton, Zep 2

Burchfield, Pas 2

Lazar, Cn. Pas 2

Scott, AL 2

RBI

Hay, AL 18

Stager, A. Mit 18

Schneider, Pas 15

Scott, AL 15

Simon, R.R. 14

Stager, C. Mit 14

Fellman, Gulf 13

Cotto, Rid 12

Hunnewell, AL 12

McKonly, R.R. 12

Burchfield, Pas 11

Santoli, Gulf 11

Tamburri, R.R. 11

Ward, R.R. 11

Davis, Zep 10

Lamb, R.R. 10

Miller, R.R. 10

Wisniewski, Gulf 10

SB

Scott, AL 16

Mayhill, Gulf 12

Hay, AL 10

Wisniewski, Gulf 10

Rish, R.R. 9

Gardner, Gulf 8

Santoli, Gulf 8

Schneider, Pas 7

Steinman, AL 7

Fennimore, Hud 6

Hampshire, Hud 6

PITCHING

Player, team W-L IP ER ERA

Garcia, Pas 3-0 19 1 0.36

Seymour, Mit 3-0 19 2 0.74

Davis, Zep 1-1 18 2 0.78

Hay, AL 5-1 36 6 1.17

Lazar, Pas 5-2 47 7 1.19

Stahl, R.R. 2-0 17 3 1.24

Durrett, Zep 4-0 16 4 1.75

Denney, R.R. 7-1 35.1 10 1.98

Kline, Mit 2-2 24.67 8 2.27

Pemberton, Mit 2-0 19.33 7 2.53

STRIKEOUTS

Hay, AL 73

Lazar, Pas 70

Maxey, Gulf 43

Denney, R.R. 35

Cotto, Rid 28

Kline, Mit 27

Mueller, Hud 23

Stahl, R.R. 16

Garcia, Pas 10

The Times will publish stats every Friday. Coaches can send updated stats to Izzy Gould at igould@tampabay.com or by fax at (813) 909-4611 no later than noon on Thursday.

[Last modified March 9, 2007, 01:15:49]