SIDELINES

+ Thunder, Cougars fall
The Out-of-Door Academy and Cardinal Mooney baseball teams both saw their seasons come to a close in the Class 3A-Region 3 quarterfinals May 2.

After a scoreless 40-minute rain delay, the district champion Thunder fell 1-0 to Clearwater Calvary Christian in eight innings.

Cardinal Mooney scored in the first inning of its regional quarterfinal game, but was unable to scratch across another run, as host Clearwater Central Catholic walked away with a 9-1 victory.

The Cougars were held to one run on two hits, including an RBI single by Bucky Bonynge.

+ Crew defends title
The Sarasota Crew defended its overall team crown at the USRowing Southeast Junior District Championships May 4 and May 5, in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Crew scored a combined 914 points to finish ahead of Atlanta Jr. Rowing (608 points). The Crew also won the boys’ title and finished second in the girls’ standings.

The Crew captured a combined nine gold medals, including the Varsity 8s.

KUDOS
Sarasota Softball
Sophomore catcher Alyssa Price hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game and propel the Sarasota High softball team to a 2-1, nine-inning victory over Braden River in the Class 7A-Region 3 semifinals April 30.

“This is the best moment in the world. You can’t get much better than this,” Price says.

Trailing 1-0, Price tied the game in the top of the seventh inning with two outs and a 3-2 count.

“I knew I definitely burnt the outfielder, but, because of how high it went, I (wondered), ‘Is it going over?’” Price says. “And, then, when it went over.”

Price later tagged out Braden River’s Alyssa Patneaude while she was sliding into home plate in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the inning.

After a 30-minute weather delay in the top of the ninth inning, with runners at the corners, Sarasota freshman Sarah Beth Wengerd hit a sacrifice bunt to drive in the go-ahead run.

The Lady Sailors saw their season come to end with a 5-1 loss to Tampa Freedom in the Class 7A-Region 3 finals May 4.

STANDOUT PLAYER
Madison Schmidt
Track and Field | Pole Vault
Riverview High

11 — The height in feet Schmidt cleared at the Class 4A state finals May 4, in Jacksonville.

3 — The place Schmidt finished overall to earn a medal at the Class 4A state finals May 4, in Jacksonville.

5 — The number of first-place finishes Schmidt posted this season after being out part of the season with a back injury.