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Hernando Today

In the Zone

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By JIM REDMILE

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: February 16, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - In a battle of early-season unbeatens, the Springstead High softball team went into Tom Varn Park Friday night and delivered to the Leopards their first defeat of the season, by a score of 4-1.

Both starting pitchers also came in without a loss featuring Becky Powell for Springstead and Ari Lowman for Hernando.

"Becky Powell pitched a good game. Ari pitched a good game. I mean that's two good teams, two good pitchers," said Leopard Head Coach Kevin Bittinger.

"Lowman's been a thorn in our side for three years," Springstead Head Coach Craig Swartout recalled. "She's about as good as they get around here and tonight was a battle of two of the best pitchers around.

"A hit here, a mistake there, and that changes the ball game. She's a great pitcher, no doubt about that, and they're a great team, Hernando."

Swartout also commented on his starter.

"She (Powell) dug in tonight," he added. "You could tell by her demeanor in school today, all the way up until game time that she was focused in."

With two outs in the top of the first inning, Springstead's third batter, Jamie Lee Basinger, singled to left-center. Powell followed her with a single to right-center and Basinger scored on an errant throw putting the Eagles on the board, 1-0.

The Eagles would strike again in the second as third baseman Shelby Vaccarro doubled and was eventually driven in by second baseman Jamie Vitale, 2-0.

Powell had pitched three three-up, three-down innings with only one base-on-balls heading into the fourth. but leadoff batter Erica Maldonado singled into right to get things started for the Leopards.

Three batters later, shortstop Katie Geiger laid down a sacrifice bunt to cut the lead in half, 2-1.

Hernando's Lowman was solid the fourth through the sixth innings giving up only one hit and one walk. But in the top of the seventh, with one out, Vitale was hit by a pitch.

Leadoff hitter Sammy Boggs singled to right, and both runners advanced on a fielder's choice. With one out and two men on in the seventh, Basinger ripped a double down the right field line scoring both runners, 4-1.

"My coach came up to me and said, 'Are you going to get them in for me?' and I looked at him confidently and told him 'they're in,'" Basinger said of the late game hit. "I just thought about what I needed to do, drove the ball and got them in. I was reading her (Lowman's) pitches very well tonight."

Hernando, with one more chance, was unable to get anything done, as Powell retired the side.

"I think this is the best game I've ever pitched in my high school career," Powell said. "I was just in the zone and didn't want to give anything up. We've been rivals a long time; I grew up with some of them."

Springstead 4, Hernando 1
123 456 7 R H E
SPG 110 000 2-- 4 7 2
HER 000 100 0 -- 1 1 2
SPG - Powell and D'Acunto.
HER - Lowman and Killingsworth.
W - Powell (4-0). L - Lowman (2-1).
2B - Basinger (SPG).
3B - none.
HR - none.
Records - Hernando (2-1 overall, 1-1 HCAC), Springstead (3-0 overall, 1-0 HCAC).

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