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Panthers come back to defeat Hurricanes

Citrus' six errors prove to be the difference as it loses its first game.

By CAREY FREEMAN and LINDA ROTHSTEIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 28, 2001

LECANTO -- It just wouldn't be a Citrus-Lecanto game without a late-inning comeback and a pivotal final-inning rally. And Tuesday's matchup followed the usual course.

The Hurricanes took the early lead. The Panthers clawed their way back. And Jill Bandhauer and Dana Teller provided the pivotal hits as Lecanto handed Citrus its first loss of the year 4-3. "This was a huge win for us," said Bandhauer, whose seventh-inning triple was the catalyst for the win. "This team has really come together, and we came in here wanting to win. We played with intensity, and I think it showed at the end."

Granted, Lecanto (5-2) got a little help in the way of six Citrus errors, but don't take anything away from the Panthers, who trailed 3-0 entering the bottom of the fourth. Lecanto scored its first run when Bandhauer led off the fourth with a single and scored four batters later on a single from Mandy Wade. But the biggest damage was done in the final two innings.

In the sixth, Lecanto took advantage of four Citrus errors to tie it with two unearned runs.

Erin Bailey started the rally when she was hit by a Tabitha Schrufer pitch. An overthrow to first, followed by another overthrow from rightfielder Amber Presnick, allowed the senior to score and put Teller on third.

An error by shortstop Mettina Maggiore allowed Teller to score and tie it at 3. "We walk out of here with a win if the defense does its job," Citrus coach Scott Waters said.

Citrus (3-1) had a chance to take back the lead when Alycia LePage led off the seventh with a single. However, the speedy sophomore was doubled up and Jessica Macdonald flied out to leftfield.

Though it benefitted from errors in the sixth, Lecanto earned the win in the seventh. Bandhauer hit a screaming line drive to leftfield for a one-out triple. Bailey reached on a fielder's choice, and Teller plated Bandhauer with a towering shot to left that cleared Citrus' pulled-in outfield.

Knights hold off Gators

LAND O'LAKES -- River Ridge tied it in the sixth, scored the winning run in the seventh then hung on for the last three outs to defeat Land O'Lakes 3-2 Tuesday night.

The Gators had the tying and winning runs on base with one out in the bottom of the seventh before Royal Knights starter Christine Beck escaped to improve to 3-1. Beck also scored the winning run. She led off the top of the seventh with a double to leftfield. Beck scored when she stole third and catcher Jen Savage threw the ball away. It looked to be a pitchers' duel early as two of the county's top pitchers, Beck and Ashley Patton, faced off. Each allowed two baserunners in the first two innings but stranded them. "Both of them pitched very, very well," River Ridge coach Ernie Beck said. "(Land O'Lakes coach Jerry English) said to me in the second inning, "Well, it's either going to be a mistake on your part or our part because it looks like they're both on."'

In the top of the third, River Ridge rightfielder Amy Cassell led off with a bloop single over second base and stole second before Patton retired the next two batters.

With two outs, River Ridge got three consecutive singles. Beck lined one over second base to score Cassell. Stefanie Simon and Jennifer Brumbaugh followed with shots to right-centerfield. Land O'Lakes (5-2) answered with a run in the bottom of the third. Centerfielder Amanda Gulino led off with a bunt single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on an error. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Savage singled. Shortstop Samantha Harvey sent her to third with a single to right-centerfield before third baseman Amber DeYoung brought her home on a groundout to give the Gators a 2-1 lead.

River Ridge (5-1) tied it in the sixth. Mandy Udovich opened with a base hit. Pinch-runner Kelly Evers went to second on a fielder's choice and to third on a wild pitch. She scored by stealing home. "I was proud of our kids," English said. "We had good pitching. We had good defense, and the times we got the runners on, we were able to move and get them into scoring position."

-- LINDA ROTHSTEIN

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