County softball squads cold, wet

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County softball squads cold, wet

Sports

Friday, 05 March 2010 09:16

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
It’s hard to say how well local softball teams are progressing since the cold, wet, windy weather has sabotaged much of the first portion of the season.
“We’ve missed eight practice days and we’ve had three games rained out,” Osceola High Coach George Coffey said.
Still, the Kowgirls carried a 7-1 record, 4-1 in 5A District 5, into Friday’s game at district powerhouse Lake Wales, a Class 5A state finalist last year.
Osceola’s loss came at Haines City Feb. 26.
“We just never seemed to get in any kind of rhythm,” Coffey said. “It was our first road trip, and it never came together for us.”
Osceola beat Liberty in a district game Monday before Tuesday’s game at Gateway was rained out.
Coffey’s pitchers, freshmen Kenya Pereira and Morgan Crapo, are gaining varsity experience.
“Kenya actually has done fairly well. Her strikes to balls ratio is probably the best on the team, and her first-pitch strike ratio is near where it needs to be,” Coffey said.
The Kowgirls host Celebration Wednesday at 7 p.m. before embarking on a three-game road trip that carries them to Sebring Friday, then to Winter Haven and Ridge Community.
“We’ve played well in the district to this point and that’s important,” Coffey said. “The Sebring and Winter Haven games will be a challenge. We got them here at home, but it’s a different atmosphere on the road.”
Harmony, a favorite in 4A District 6, like Osceola has run into weather problems. It’s game at St. Cloud Tuesday was postponed. The Horns, 4-2, beat Colonial, 11-1, in five frigid innings Wednesday.
Harmony lost only to Class 6A squads West Orange (in nine innings) and Lake Howell, who was unbeaten until last weekend.
The Lady Horns edged East Ridge, 7-6, and easily handled district rival Celebration, 11-1, last week.
“I’m happy with the development of the team right now,” Coach Ralph King said. “We were able to do a lot of positive things against a really good pitcher in Celebration’s Freddy Kraus.”
Lauren Harris, batting cleanup behind Emily Lanier, leads the team with two home runs.
Brianne Kimura and Tiffany Endreson have impressed the coach early in the season.
Celebration’s Kraus became the county’s all-time strikeout leader Tuesday at 726 after striking out 10 Tavares batters during a 6-1 4A District 6 loss at Storm field. She broke former Osceola pitcher Megan Hord’s record of 717. The Storm slipped to 2-4, losing their third in a row.
St. Cloud Coach Mike Gale said leadoff batter Nikki Benge is stirring things up with a .385 batting average.
Freshman Brittany Gilbert also is impressive, batting over .300, while pitcher Samantha Gale has 59 strikeouts for the 4-3 Bulldogs after a 16-2 win over Liberty Thursday.