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.