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Pirates cruise past Patriots

By JOHN SCHWARB

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 7, 2001

GULFPORT -- For the past three weeks, Boca Ciega had been working overtime on its hitting, and even sometimes-fierce winds Tuesday could not keep the work from showing.

The Pirates pounded out nine hits on the blustery afternoon to beat Pinellas Park 10-5, putting on an offensive display that coach Mary Drayton hopes can last at least a couple of more days.

"We've got Countryside Thursday," Drayton said ominously. "So this is a good morale-builder to hit the ball without being intimidated."

Bogie (4-6 overall, 2-2 Class 5A, District 10) scored in every inning after the first with help at times from the Patriots. A four-run fourth was the turning point, starting with an error by starting pitcher Rachael Anderson.

A line drive from Bogie's Colleen Bowman hit off of Anderson's glove and bounded away, and Bowman was sacrificed to second with a bunt by Kristina Fitch. Dana Dykens reached with a single. Then Amy Cooper got the scoring started.

Cooper grounded to short, but Lynda Babcock hesitated with the ball, allowing Bowman to score. Two batters later, Sarah Stumpf grounded to short, and Babcock's throw sailed just wide of first, allowing Katie Timm (Dykens' courtesy runner) to score. Julie Plomatos ended the inning with a solid single, scoring Cooper and Stumpf to put Bogie up 6-1.

Pinellas Park (3-2, 1-2) got two runs back in the top of the fifth off of a Babcock single and Geraldine Canezo fielders choice, ending Stumpf's afternoon on the mound. But the Patriots left the bases loaded. Bowman took over in relief with two outs and got Carman Foran to strike out. The Patriots left two more runners stranded in the sixth and seventh and 11 in all.

"We left a lot of men on and made some mental errors," Pinellas Park coach Bob Stephens said. "I'm playing about four or five ninth-graders, and they're going to make mental mistakes. We're trying to coach on the run here."

Anderson pitched the entire game for Pinellas Park, striking out three and walking one. Stumpf picked up her second win of the year for Bogie.

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