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Hernando Today

Drawe Hurls, Bats Panthers into First Place

MIDDLE SCHOOL SOFTBALL

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Powell Middle School right-hander Hailey Drawe scattered four hits and struck out 10 against two walks to tame Challenger K-8 Tuesday afternoon on the Navigators’ diamond, 7-1.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: March 3, 2009

SPRING HILL - All season long, Powell Middle School right-hander Hailey Drawe and her teammates had been playing catch-up to Challenger K-8.
You see that's what happens when you open the season by hosting the Navigators and losing, 4-2.
The two teams tied for the Hernando County Middle School Conference softball title last spring.
But in this year's first meeting on Feb.12 at Springstead High, Challenger K-8 Head Coach Katie Day's club maintained the upper hand.
Since then Challenger reeled off three more victories before stumbling last Thursday to visiting Parrott, 11-6.
On Tuesday, the Navigator losing streak was extended to two games.
Drawe was the main reason.
The freckled-face right-hander went the distance limiting the 'Gators to four hits and one run (earned), while issuing two walks and fanning 10 batters.
She also helped herself at the plate going 4-for-4 against Sabrina "Smokey" Russell, scoring twice while knocking in two runs in pacing the Panthers' 7-1 win.
The win, Powell's fifth in a row since the season-opening setback bounced Challenger K-8 out of first place at 4-2 while Powell now occupies first (tied with Parrott) at 5-1.
Russell deserved a better fate.
She fanned a game-high 12 batters against one free pass through seven innings. She scattered eight hits permitting seven runs – including six unearned runs as her defense collapsed behind a game-high seven errors.
Meanwhile, Powell's defense converted 27-of-28 chances behind Drawe.
Her catcher, Mariah Crawford, noted the difference.
"As the game went on, Hailey got stronger," said Crawford, who finished 1-for-3, but plated three runs for the visitors. "Challenger is our big rival. When she hit that gapper in the (two-run triple) in the (three-run) fifth, I was like "Woo!"
How pivotal was the return match win?
"This gives us a whole lot more confidence," indicated the 13-year-old Crawford.

Drawe rules

Drawe looped a single to left in the first inning but was left stranded. In the third, she reached on an infield hit and again was left aboard.
But with score tied at 1-all in the fifth, Drawe's three-bagger seemed to pick up the visitors and deflate the hosts.
After Brooke Majors reached on an infield single and was sacrificed to second, Crawford reached on an error.
On the next Russell pitch, Drawe crushed a sinking liner between left-center that rolled to the fence scoring Majors and Crawford. Another throwing error allowed Drawe to score standing up, 4-1 Panthers.
"I was just hoping the left fielder wouldn't catch the ball," recalled the 14-year-old Drawe. "I was so happy when the ball rolled to the fence."
What was the difference this time?
"Coach told us to stay focused and enthused," said Drawe. "In the first meeting, we didn't play our nest game."
And the defense?
"My defense was pretty strong all game long," she remarked.
In the seventh, Powell iced the game behind three Challenger miscues and an RBI single by Janeisi Brigidio, 7-1.

Coaches speak

After the game, Powell Head Coach Charlene Francisco singled out Drawe.
"Hailey has really come around when we really needed it," explained Francisco. "Through the first five games, it seemed like every time she stung the ball, she'd hit it right at somebody. Her transition at the plate has been affecting the whole team. All I told her to do was be patient and that good things would eventually happen. And they have.
"She has been the difference, especially on the mound for us," added Coach Francisco. "She has been dominant on the mound. She's one of the county leaders in strikeouts."
How pivotal was the win?
"We did not have the confidence we're carrying right now the first time we played Challenger," recalled Coach Francisco. "We played tentative and nervous. You can't expect to win games playing like that. Since then we've come into games much more focused. The key, especially defensively, is knowing what you're going to do with the ball if it's hit to you."
Though Amanda Miller went 2-for-3 to lead the hosts, and Nicolle Morolla scored Challenger's lone run on a wild pitch, Coach Day praised Russell's mound efforts.
"Our pitcher (Russell) pitched a wonderful game," commented Day. "Give credit to Powell. Good things happen when you put the ball into play and they did.
"Emotionally, this was a hard day on our campus," she added. "Mr. Oswald, an eighth-grade teacher was very close to many of the kids here and he passed away today. It was a great loss to our campus. Yes, to some extent it did affect our kids.
"Overall, we've only got a couple starters back from last year," she added. "It's really a very young team. We'll learn from this loss and move on. The season certainly isn't over."

Powell 7, Challenger K-8 1
123 456 7 R H E
POW 100 030 3 -- 7 8 1
CHAL 001 000 0 -- 1 4 7
POW – H. Drawe and Crawford.
CHAL – Russell and Fischback.
W – H. Drawe (5-1). L – Russell (3-2).
2B – Miller (CHAL).
3B – H. Drawe (POW).
HR - none.
Records – Powell (5-1 overall), Challenger K-8 (4-2 overall).

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at 352-544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com.

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