DIXIE PONYTAILS SOFTBALL
SPRING HILL –
Right-hander Kama Woodall fashioned a brilliant complete game, 1-hit shutout featuring 14 strikeouts against one walk, pacing Spring Hill’s Ponytails (ages 11-12) All-Stars to their second straight District 4 title Sunday afternoon over Hernando, 3-0.
Woodall was spectacular at the muggy Anderson Snow Sports Complex, limiting HYL to a dismal 1-for-20 (5 percent) effort at the plate. Only three HYL batters reached base in the 74-minute game.
“My stuff was leaning toward good,” described the 11-year-old Woodall after the game. “But our defense was awesome. It was an amazing win.”
With one out in the first inning, Brooksville’s Kelly Madden legged out an infield single between shortstop and third. The next batter, Kaeleen Koehler, reached on a throwing error, but both were left stranded with back-to-back strikeouts. In fact, Woodall’s initial 10 outs all came via punchouts.
Koehler was the only other Hernando player to reach behind a leadoff walk in the fifth.
HYL (2-2) remained in contention behind right-hander Rebecca Cozart’s mound efforts. Across the first four frames, Cozart blended her pitches, stranding runners in the second, third and fourth innings.
Spring Hill (3-0), however, repeated as champion under Head Coach Melissa Varela behind a 3-run rally in the fifth.
With Sarah Kelly (single) and Celine Kordone (error) aboard, first sacker Peyton Varela rapped an RBI double to score Kelly.
Kelli Wall, who finished 2-for-2, followed with a RBI single, 2-0.
At this point, HYL skipper Kay Cozart opted to replace her niece, Rebecca, with Alyssa Gonzalez.
Gonzalez was greeted by a Marriah Adams RBI single to close the scoring, 3-0.
Meanwhile, the Spring Hill defense remained stout converting 20-of-21 chances to complete the shutout and will advance to the Belleview Sports Complex for the Florida State Ponytails Championships on July 10. In three District 4 wins, Spring Hill outscored the opposition, 23-1.
“Winning this year was harder,” said 12-year-old Peyton Varela. “We didn’t have a lot competition last year. This year with Hernando we had to come out and play our best. We really needed Kama, but when anybody hit the ball we backed her up, too.”
“I’ve never been an all-star before,” added the 13-year-old Wall. “This is great. I thought our defense played very good. The key was the other team really couldn’t hit today because of Kama.”
Coaches’ corner
Coach Varela relished Sunday’s win.
“Winning this year was much harder,” said Coach Varela. “Even though we got down last year, we were able to fight back. This year, I was able to go with Kama all the way today, but we have four other pitchers who can do the job.”
What was the key?
“Our defense,” replied Coach Varela. “We preach on every play you’ve got to be somewhere. There are no spectators on our defense.
“Offensively, the runs we got today were huge,” she added. “This team is capable of busting out. What’s scary is we still haven’t hit as a whole like we’re capable of.”
“We battled all day,” countered Coach Cozart. “These kids have nothing to hold their heads down about. They gave everything they had.
“We needed to put the bat on the ball,” she added. “Our pitchers kept us in the game. Their pitcher was awesome. It was a great battle.”
Spring Hill 3, Hernando 1
123 456 R H E
HYL 000 000 — 0 1 2
SH 000 03X — 3 7 1
HYL – R. Cozart, A. Gonzalez (5) and C. Gonzalez.
SH – Woodall and Harvey.
W – Woodall (2-0). L – R. Cozart (1-1).
2B – P. Varela, Wall (SH).
Records – Hernando (2-2), Spring Hill (3-0).
Dixie Youth League Girls Softball Ponytails (ages 11-12) All-Stars District 4 Recap at the Anderson Snow Sports Complex in Spring Hill
06-17:
Wesley Chapel 14, West Pasco 4
06-18:
Spring Hill 8, Hernando 0
06-19:
Hernando 6, West Pasco 1
Spring Hill 12, Wesley Chapel 1
Hernando 9, Wesley Chapel 6
06-20:
(Championship)
Spring Hill 3, Hernando 0
Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at 352-544-5278 or online at [email protected].
