Gators turn gifts into 4-2 win

Land O'Lakes junior shortstop Tara Marshall would love to play Nature Coast Technical again.
Marshall, who came into the game hitting .189, finished 3-for-3 plus a sacrifice off one of the area's premier hurlers, Nature Coast senior Ashley Antczak, to help the Gators sweep the 4A-8 series against the Sharks, 4-2.
In the first inning, freshman Lauryn Turcotte opened the game with the first of her two hits, a single to left.
Marshall followed with a sacrifice bunt as Turcotte reached second.
Kasey Murray then grounded to NCT shortstop Jeri Loffler, but Loffler attempted a last-second back-handed flip to third sacker Mikayla Miller that went for a two-base error plating Turcotte.
NCT (6-3 overall, 6-3 4A-8) eventually tied matters in the bottom of the fourth.
Loffler, who came in hitting .333, fisted NCT's first hit of the game off up and down right-hander Kasey Murray.
Miller's sacrifice pushed Loffler to second before back-to-back wild pitches permitted Loffler to score, 1-1.
Land O'Lakes (8-4 overall, 6-3 4A-8) snapped the deadlock in the top of the sixth.
With one out, Marshall reached on an infield single and stole second.
Murray followed with a two-base laser down the left-field line, 2-1 Gators.
Two batters later, Meghan Sfraga doubled to right-center scoring Murray, 3-1.
NCT appeared they would not take advantage of opportunities presented. Murray somehow weaved in and out trouble surviving a game-high eight walks and one hit batsman to strand eight Shark runners.
With Loffler and Brooke Sager aboard on walks with two outs, NCT's dangerous leadoff batter Lizzy Olmstead crushed a 1-0 offering to the right-center field fence. On the two-bagger, Loffler scored easily, but on a night miscues, somehow Sager collided with second base umpire Lou Lopez heading to third. After the collision, Sager headed back to the bag as the fleet-footed Olmstead was heading to third. The base-running gaffe cost the Sharks a huge run and lost momentum.
In the final frame, the Gators applied the dagger on three hits including an RBI double by Turcotte, 4-2.
In the bottom of the frame, Murray retired the Sharks for the first time in order, to seal her sixth win of the season. Murray scattered three NCT hits and fanned five.
"They beat some of our huge rivals," said the 18-year-old Murray describing the Sharks. "We needed to beat them. I felt I was fighting it (her control) all night. But my defense was very strong. They got big outs when we needed 'em."
"I've been taking extra batting practice in the cage," said the 17-year-old Marshall, on how she began to come out of her below .200 batting average slump. "It's all about making contact. Applying the pressure on them was important. We've had trouble starting games. We knew we needed to start earlier."

Coaches' corner

"We did a good job of capitalizing on their errors," noted LOL skipper Jamie Martin. "The kids kept applying pressure."
And Murray?
"She's been our go-to girl all season," said Martin. "The double (in the sixth) got us going. And as far as Marshall, I told her we need her to come through."
"Tonight's win was huge," added Martin. "It's good momentum for us."
From the home dugout, NCT Head Coach Mettina Couet was still upset about the sixth-inning collision that cost NCT a huge run.
"The ref should have paid $3 like everyone else," said Couet. "Because he was a spectator. I really think Brooke was in shock when she tangled up with the umpire."
"After that, you saw our body language," indicated Coach Couet. "We gave up. We got down. That's when the other team exploded. Give them (Land O'Lakes) credit; they took advantage of what was presented."

Land O'Lakes 4, Nature Coast Technical 2
123 456 7 R H E
LOL 100 002 1 -- 4 9 2
NCT 000 101 0 -- 2 3 2
LOL - Murray and Ellis.
NCT - Antczak and Marshall.
W - Murray (6-4). L - Antczak (6-3).
2B - Turcotte, Murray, Sfraga (LOL); Olmstead (NCT).
Records - Land O'Lakes (8-4 overall, 6-3 4A-8), Nature Coast Technical (6-3 overall, 6-3 4A-8).