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Hernando Today

Spring Hill Survives Slugfest

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: June 22, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Spring Hill Darlings (ages 7-8) All-Stars Head Coach Mark Kordon appeared prophetic Friday night.

He predicted to his Hernando Youth League counterpart, Pasha Darby, that the District 4 Tournament opening-round match-up between Spring Hill and Hernando would come down to the wire.

Sure enough, the two teams lit up the scoreboard at Oakridge Park in New Port Richey, going back-and-forth until Spring Hill rallied in the final frame, then survived Hernando's final at-bat for an 18-17 victory.

"I told the other coach before the game started, it's going to be a 22-23, I'm just not sure which one of us is winning the game," Kordon said. "I was wrong. It was 17-18, but I still wasn't sure who was going to win the game.

"It could have gone either way. It does put us in the winner's bracket, which is where we want to be."

After the two teams exchanged leads twice in the first three innings, each team appeared to land a knockout blow in the final two frames.
Spring Hill scored five times in the fourth, including RBI triples by Makailey Benard and Gabrielle Custodio, plus RBI singles by Kylie Canova and Heather Shagoury.

That put Spring Hill in front 11-7, yet that lead quickly evaporated as Hernando struck for eight in the bottom half.

Four errors contributed to the rally, while Savannah Darby, Sammy Burnette, Ali Shenefield and Taylyn Murwin all had singles.

Hernando, holding a 14-11 edge heading to the fifth, needed to record three outs before Spring Hill pushed across three runs to end the game. Instead, Spring Hill went in front with a seven-run outburst.

Adrianna Moore had a double in the rally, while Benard chipped in a two-run single and Custodio a two-run double. Jordyn Cotroneo added a RBI single.
Burnette and Ashley Carter each singled home a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Hernando deficit to one, but Spring Hill retired the potential tying run on a force at third for the last out.

Murwin paced Hernando with four RBI, while Janea Mobley, Savannah Jarema and Burnette reached base and scored three times in three plate appearances.

Hernando moved on to a loser's bracket contest Saturday morning against Wesley Chapel, needing a win to stay alive in the double-elimination event.

"Great ball game all the way around," Hernando Coach Darby said. "Just like I said the other day, it was going to be nip-and-tuck. I can't fault nothing either way.

"I'm happy that all these little girls are smiling. They'll all be back tomorrow and play the same way tomorrow.

"They knew we were going to play a good team and they (Spring Hill) knew they were going to face a good team. Today they got us."

Highlight reel

Spring Hill's highlights included an inside-the-park three-run home run off the bat of Sarah Birchill, who lined a ball into center field.

Randi Kordon reached bases all three times she came to the plate and scored three runs. The last three batters in the line-up, Benard, Canova and Custodio, went a combined 7-for-9 with eight RBI and six runs scored.
Spring Hill played its next game against West Pasco on Saturday afternoon.

"It's a perfect start to the tournament," Coach Kordon said. "That's one of the toughest teams of the four (in the field). It's a good thing that we got into the winner's bracket. It's a good start for my girls."

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