Cougars silence any doubters

Countryside posted its 20th win, beating Northeast 10-0 in six innings.

By DOUG KATES
Published April 14, 2007

CLEARWATER - Friday may have been the Pinellas County Athletic Conference championship, but it also featured teams going in different directions.

Countryside posted its 20th win, beating Northeast 10-0 in six innings. The Vikings (15-3) have lost two straight by a 14-1 margin and have committed 10 errors.

"It's always great to win a championship of any kind," coach Kaylyn Bayly said. (My girls) really wanted it because they feel like a lot of people don't think they are the best team in the county. That was the kind of attitude today when we got here, but I think we showed them."

"I have faith in my girls," Northeast coach Holly Yates said. "The main things is we have to work on mental errors. We have to get the kinks out. We'll be all right. I'm not worried."

The Cougars (20-4) had three base runners aboard in the first inning and two in the second. Despite the threats, the game remained scoreless. In the third inning, Countryside started taking advantage of its runners. Two walks, two errors and a hit batter started the damage, then Gia Tomossone hit a two-run double. In the fourth there was another walk, two errors and two-run double by Tomossone. Overall, the Cougars scored 10 runs on eight hits, eight walks and seven errors. Tomossone finished 2-for-3.

Cleanup hitter GiOnna DiSalvatore walked three times against Palm Harbor U. this week and walked four times against Northeast on Friday. In her fifth at-bat she had the bases loaded with a 9-0 lead. The Vikings had to pitch to her, and one of the Countryside players found humor in the situation, yelling, "I haven't seen you swing a bat in three weeks!"

DiSalvatore (.517, 27 RBIs) did swing and lined an RBI single into centerfield to end the game.

Desiree Baker pitched a two-hitter with seven strikeouts for the victory.

[Last modified April 13, 2007, 21:46:07]