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Royal Knights shut out Rams for big victory

By JOHN C. COTEY

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 28, 2001

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Christine Beck and Adrienne Cicirello debated the virtues of beating Ridgewood on Tuesday. For example, was it better than the possibility of beating district leader Palm Harbor University?

"PHU would be better," Beck said.

"I don't know," Cicirello said. "This feels pretty good."

We'll call the debate a draw. The game, however, was clearly a River Ridge win as Cicirello's hitting and Beck's pitching, hitting and fielding led the way in a 2-0 triumph at Ridgewood. The Class 5A, District 9 victory put the Royal Knights in second place at 4-1. PHU, which hosts River Ridge on Friday, is unbeaten in district play. The Rams (11-4) dropped their second district game and second Sunshine Athletic Conference game. Winners of nine of the past 11 SAC titles, the Rams now are two games behind River Ridge after back-to-back shutout losses. The Knights (15-2), winners of 10 in a row, made the most of their seven hits and benefitted from shaky play in the Ridgewood outfield.

In the third inning, Cicirello led off with a liner to leftfielder Chrissy Casanova, who broke in on the ball only to have it sail over her head for a double.

Ridgewood shortstop Bethann Blakenship was called for interference on the play for blocking Cicirello coming around second, and the Royal Knight centerfielder was awarded third base.

One batter later, Beck lined a single up the middle to make it 1-0.

"That was a big run," Royal Knights coach Ernie Beck said. "That puts a little pressure on the other team. Now they need two."

Instead, River Ridge got two. Stefani Simon double to right off of the glove of Tera McCleary and scored on Jen Brumbaugh's looper off second baseman Nicole Deloen's glove.

"The key was both of those hits (Cicirello's and Simon's) were hit hard and hit by leadoff hitters," Ridgewood coach Greg Bollinger said. "That put pressure on. That's something we didn't do all game."

Beck allowed five hits in the game but was in trouble only once. Though she only struck out three, she allowed just one leadoff hitter, Melanie Boyer, to reach base (in the seventh). But McCleary lined back to Beck for a game-ending double play.

"She pitched well," Bollinger said. "We just couldn't get anything going offensively. We're putting the ball in play, but we're just not getting the key hits with runners in scoring position."

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