MATCHING CROWNS

Lady Pirates defeat Sarasota
BRADEN RIVER — Senior Elena Lopez had the game won well before she stepped into the batter’s box.
At least in the minds of her coaches.

With the game tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning of the Class 7A-District 11 championship April 20, the Braden River High assistant coaches looked to the players in the dugout and told them to put down their bats and batting helmets.

They then turned to Lopez, who was due up third in the inning, and told her she was going to win the game.
Lopez wasn’t quite sure what to make of her coaches’ confidence, but one thing was for certain — she wasn’t about to let them and the rest of her teammates down.

With one out and a runner on second, Lopez hit a single to center field, driving in Hannah Ryan and propelling Braden River to a 5-4 victory over Sarasota and its first district championship in three years.
“I was just looking for anything to get Hannah in,” Lopez said. “I really wanted this.”

The Lady Pirates, who beat Sarasota twice during the regular season, found themselves trailing early in the game, when the Lady Sailors scored a run in the top of the first inning off of Braden River ace Courtney Mirabella.

Braden River responded in the bottom of the fourth inning when Lopez hit a RBI double. The Lady Pirates took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, when senior catcher Ashley Allard hit her first career home run over the centerfield wall.

“When I hit it, it didn’t feel like it was going out, but it was really exciting,” Allard said.

The lead proved to be short-lived, when Sarasota scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 4-2 lead.

But the Lady Pirates, who beat Venice 10-0 in the district semifinals April 18, refused to submit. Braden River tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Allard, who drove in the final run in the semifinals, hit a two-run double.

“I knew Courtney had our backs,” Lopez said. “She wouldn’t let us get any more, and our hitting was coming around.”

Mirabella, who finished with eight strikeouts, shut down Sarasota’s next six batters before Lopez connected for the game-winning hit.

“They’re a tough team to beat,” coach Doug Powell said. “They hit the ball so well. Courtney’s one of the better pitchers around, and they hit her. It’s very gratifying to beat a team like that, but I’m sure we’re probably going to see them again.

“I truly feel this is one of the better teams that we’ve had top to bottom,” Powell said. “We can hit with anybody and we’ve got some solid pitching.”

Allard went 3-for-4 with a home run, a pair of doubles, three RBIs and a run scored and Lopez went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the way for Braden River at the plate. Hannah Loyer went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored Ryan went 2-for-3 with a walk, and two runs scored.

With the win, Braden River, who advanced to the state semifinals as the district runner-up last season, played host to the District 12 runner-up in a regional quarterfinal April 25. The winner will advance to the regional semifinals to face the winner of quarterfinal game between Sarasota and the District 12 champion April 27.

“Last year we had never been there, but this year it’s a lot more realistic and a lot more people believe in us and they tell us that,” Allard said. “So it’s in our minds more.”

Lady Mustangs power way to title
Behind the arm of senior pitcher Huntyre Elling, the top-seeded Lady Mustangs (21-6) defeated Seminole Osceola 9-1 in the Class 6A-District 12 championship April 20.

Elling allowed two hits and walked two while striking out eight in six innings of work.

“It is not possible to fully explain how much Huntyre has meant to this team,” coach Tony Cummins said. “She is an amazing pitcher (who has) that ‘I believe can beat anybody (mentality).’ We have a group of amazing athletes and kids, but Huntyre completes the team. She is the ‘shining star’ who has given everything to lead this team.”

Lakewood notched 14 hits and three home runs, scoring in every inning but one.

McKaleigh Goodale went 2-for-4 with two home runs, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Taylor Newton went 2-for-4 with a home run, a RBI and a run scored.

The Lady Mustangs entered the championship coming off an offensive explosion, in which they scored 11 runs in the fourth inning, capping off a 17-2 victory over St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins in the district semifinals April 18, which was stopped after four innings because of the 15-run mercy rule.

Quillan Toler went 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs, and Goodale went 3-for-3 with a RBI and three runs scored to lead the way for the Lady Mustangs at the plate. Jenn Trotter went 2-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored; Dana Hutchins went 2-for-2 with a RBI and two runs scored; and Amber Ozment went 3-for-3 with a RBI.

“As simple as this sounds, the reason we have been having such great offensive success is that we have great hitters,” Cummins said. “Not just the top of the lineup — but one through nine. They know that they can hit and always expect to have success.”

As the District 12 champion, Lakewood played host to District 11 runner-up Tampa Jefferson in a regional quarterfinal April 24. The winner will play the winner of the other regional quarterfinal between Osceola and Tampa Leto in a regional semifinal April 27.