District Champs Turn Attention To States

The Hernando Ponytails (ages 11-12) and Spring Hill Belles (ages 13-15) All-Star squads have already faced their share of adversity.

Two weeks ago they began play in the District 4 Tournament at Oakridge Park in New Port Richey, a tournament ravaged by rain and marred by complaints of bias umpiring.

In the post-midnight hours of June 26 - more rain forced a long delay of two scheduled championship games and closed down one field - the two county teams overcame it all to claim their respective district crowns.

The other reward for their efforts: a trip to the State Tournament, which begins today at Belleview Sports Complex.

The Hernando Ponytails (3-1), coached by Danny Harvey, consist of Ta'Shylla Brockington, Sierra Cannon, Adriana Goodwin, Danielle Harvey, Jordan Huggins, Jenise Knowles, Allison Lucky, Tana McDaniel, Courtney Riddle, Jade Rivers, Ann-Marie Rojero and Ashley Sims.

The Spring Hill Belles (3-1), coached by Louie Caiazzo, feature Gina Thompson, Linda Thompson, Brooke Sager, Alexis Adams, Shannon Cataldo, Megan Baker, Angie Gaffney, Danielle Caban, Brooke Young and Ashley Bettineschi.

The state champion for each age group will advance to the Aug. 2 World Series in Louisiana. The Ponytails World Series will be in Pineville, La.; the Belles World Series is in Alexandria, La..

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For the Spring Hill Belles, this marks their second consecutive trip to states. Last year they went 2-2, winning their first two games before dropping their next two.

"We did well in the first two games," Caiazzo said. "Then for some reason our bats fell asleep in the third game. That's my biggest fear."

In spite of his team's championship at districts, Caiazzo still has concerns about its offense. Spring Hill scored 22 runs across four games, hitting .284 as a team. It had just five extra base hits and only one home run, off the bat of Cataldo.

"I think we need to hit the ball. That's the key for us," Caiazzo said. "Practice, practice, practice. We've got to stay focused. We have the girls on the team that can do it. I think they just have to concentrate a little bit more."

One area Spring Hill has no worries about is pitching. Led by Adams, who struck out 13 against West Pasco in the district title game, Spring Hill's hurlers have permitted 15 runs.

Nine of those came in the one loss, 9-8 to West Pasco. Spring Hill allowed just two runs in each of its three wins.

In a bit of an oddity, Spring Hill would have advanced to states whether it defeated West Pasco or not. Too many of West Pasco's players had prior commitments and couldn't participate this weekend.

"We pitched excellent," Caiazzo said. "We did make a lot of errors in one game (the loss). But overall I think we should have won all four games we played.

"We jelled as a team. Everybody faced the same thing but I think for us, it comes to we wanted it a little more. Not that (West Pasco) didn't want it, but they weren't going to states. We didn't want to go as the district representative. We wanted to go as the district champ."

Caiazzo had no scouting report on the rest of the field this weekend, since brackets were not released until last night's opening ceremonies. However, that doesn't change his team's goal.

"We want to win it," Caiazzo said. "We want to take the next step. We're talented enough to take the next step.

"The key to our success, it always starts with pitching. But we have to hit the ball. I think we've got the pitching but we have to put runs on the board. We have to help the pitchers out.

"I'm proud of all the girls. They've given up a lot of their summer to practice and play and they deserve everything they've gotten."

Working on hitting

Coincidentally, Harvey admitted that his club also needs to improve upon its offensive prowess.

"They're confident," Harvey said. "They know they need to start hitting the ball. We hit the ball one game and we won the district championship. Our defense didn't get tested because of our pitching situation.

"We hit the ball one game. It happened to be in the championship. If we start hitting the ball, we should do well in states."

Hernando's pitchers combined for a no-hitter in a 15-0 win over Wesley Chapel to open the district tournament, and allowed just 10 runs overall.

Like the Spring Hill Belles, Hernando lost to West Pasco in its first opportunity to win the district, 5-3, before bouncing back the next night to take the winner-take-all rematch, 6-3.

"The girls are real excited. They should go a long way," Harvey said. "I have no idea (what the competition will be like). You've got to realize everybody up there except the host team is a district champ. I'm sure they're going to have pitching as well as we have, if not better."

2008 Hernando Ponytails (ages 11-12) All-Stars
Name Position
Ta'Shylla Brockington OF
Sierra Cannon P/OF
Adriana Goodwin OF/INF
Danielle Harvey INF
Jordan Huggins C
Jenise Knowles INF/OF
Allison Lucky P/OF
Tana McDaniel P/INF/C
Courtney Riddle P/INF
Jade Rivers P/INF/C
Ann-Marie Rojero P/INF
Ashley Sims OF
Head coach: Danny Harvey   
Assistant coaches: David Goodwin, Debbie Goodwin

HERNANDO PONYTAILS (AGES 11-12) ALL-STARS RECAP
Record: 3-1
Date Opponent Result
06-20 Wesley Chapel* W 15-0
06-23 Spring Hill* W 4-2
06-24 West Pasco* L 3-5
06-25 West Pasco* W 6-3
* Denotes District 4 Tournament game at Oakridge Park, New Port Richey

2008 Spring Hill Belles (ages 13-15) All-Stars
Name Position
Gina Thompson 1B
Linda Thompson LF/SS/2B
Brooke Sager P/C/2B/3B
Alexis Adams P/C/1B
Shannon Cataldo 3B/SS
Megan Baker P/C/2B/3B
Angie Gaffney 3B/CF
Danielle Caban RF
Brooke Young 2B/LF
Ashley Bettineschi RF
Head coach: Louie Caiazzo
Assistant coaches: Kim Foster, Ken Baker

SPRING HILL BELLES (AGES 13-15) ALL-STARS RECAP
Record: 3-1
Date Opponent Result
06-20 West Pasco* W 5-2
06-23 Hernando* W 4-2
06-24 West Pasco* L 8-9
06-25 West Pasco* W 4-2
* Denotes District 4 Tournament game at Oakridge Park, New Port Richey

Coming attractions
WHAT: 2008 Dixie Softball All-Stars State Tournaments
WHEN: July 4-7
WHERE: Belleview Sports Complex
AT STAKE: State championship and spot in Aug. 2 World Series in Louisiana.
DIRECTIONS: Take Interstate 75 north to exit for County Road 484, take exit toward Belleview. County Road 484 will become Southeast Hames Road (U.S. Highway 27 alternate), continue on and take left on Southeast 65th Court. Turn right on Southeast 107th Street, the park is located at 6501 Southeast 107th Street.