Top seeds Northeast, Seminole reach final

By BRANDON WRIGHT
Published April 19, 2007

SEMINOLE - Top-seeded Northeast and No. 2 Seminole each earned one-run wins in the Class 5A, District 11 semifinals Wednesday at Seminole.

The Vikings defeated Dixie Hollins 4-3, and Seminole beat Osceola by the same score. The Warhawks and Vikings will meet at 7 p.m. Friday at Seminole in the title game. Regardless of the outcome, both teams will advance to next week's region playoffs.

"Seminole's a great team," Northeast's Dani Seibert said. "They like to get loud in the dugout like us, so we'll need to keep our heads in it and stay pumped."

Seibert went 2-for-3 at the plate and tossed a complete game as the Vikings 16-3 beat the Rebels (10-10) for the third time this season. The senior right-hander scattered eight hits, struck out five and walked none. "I definitely like pitching better," Seibert said. "But when I hit good too, it helps my confidence while I'm pitching."

Seibert's (16-3) self assurance in the circle came in handy during the seventh inning. Thea Staton singled up the middle to cut the lead to one, but Seibert got Shayna Ottenbacher (2-for-4) to pop up with the tying run on base to end the game.

"I was nervous," Seibert said. "But I had faith in my defense, and they came through."

Ottenbacher's RBI single in the first staked Dixie Hollins to the lead, but Alicia Dennis tied it in the third with a run-scoring single. Brittany Dubois' triple one inning later scored her sister Micheala to put Northeast ahead for good.

Emily Crawford went the distance for Seminole (19-3), giving up six hits and striking out two for her 10th win of the year. She also drove in the winning run in the sixth with a triple to right-centerfield to score Kristi Belvedere.

Brandon Wright can be reached at bwright@sptimes.com or (727) 892-2216.

[Last modified April 19, 2007, 01:27:15]