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Philippines shuts out Inverness

The Senior Softball team falls into the losers' bracket. However, it might forfeit its next game.

By CAREY FREEMAN and STEVE HASEL

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 18, 2000

KALAMAZOO, Mich -- Though this is a double-elimination tournament, the words of Inverness All-Stars manager Pete Maggiore following his team's 2-0 loss to Bulacan, Philippines would indicate otherwise.

The loss, Inverness' first since the first round of the South Regional, sends it into today's losers' bracket final against the controversial coed team from Santa Cruz Valley, Ariz., a team Inverness has vowed not to play due to safety concerns.

Santa Cruz Valley advanced to the losers' bracket final, scheduled for 2 p.m. today, by virtue of a 3-0 win over Jeffersontown, Ky. "Unless they import another coach and four or five more players, we won't be playing (today)," Maggiore said. "Unfortunately, the focus the whole week has been on the boys. We came in (Thursday) and got beat by a good team. (Bulacan's) pitcher was real good, and we just got outplayed."

The loss, coupled with a forfeit today, would eliminate Inverness. "As long as I'm the coach of this team, this team is not playing," Maggiore said. "And all three of my coaches back that 100 percent.

"It's not that we don't think we can beat them. We've seen them play numerous times, and it has nothing to do with that. We think it's wrong, and we're very afraid of people getting hurt."

The decision is not a popular one with some of the players. For some, this is the last and best chance they've had to win a title. "We need to take a stand, but it's taken us six years to get this far." Inverness pitcher Tabitha Schrufer said. "My mom told me there is a time and a place for everything. People call us the team of fate. So I guess you never know."

A win over Bulacan would have prevented a matchup with Santa Cruz Valley until at least Saturday's championship, but Inverness fell short thanks to the effort of Bulacan pitcher Dione Macaso and some timely hitting. Macaso handcuffed Inverness all night, allowing just four hits while striking out 11. Inverness' best scoring chance came in the top of the fourth, when Alycia LePage doubled and advanced to third on a bunt. However, Macaso struck out Amber Presnick looking to end the inning.

Bulacan threatened to score in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out, but Macaso was forced out at the plate after a bunt. However, Bulacan didn't waste its opportunity in the fifth, scoring the game's first run on a sacrifice fly that scored Lenie Pangilinan. Bulacan added another run in the sixth when Erlinda Pascual singled, moved to third on a double by Angelyn Mendosa and scored on Karen Correa's bunt.

"They were like a traveling team, and they had excellent pitching. And we showed some nerves," Maggiore said.

"We didn't have many opportunities to move people over, and when we did, we couldn't take advantage."

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