Osceola will meet Bartow Friday

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

The Osceola Lady Kowboys got just enough hitting, just enough pitching and just enough defense to slip past Lakeland George Jenkins, 3-2, Tuesday in a Class 5A softball regional quarterfinal at Coffey Field.

Osceola, 24-5, will play at Bartow, a 19-0 mercy rule winner over Lake Wales, Friday at 7 p.m. in the regional semifinal.

Down 1-0, Osceola scored all three runs in the fourth inning, starting when Aisya Dennis reached first after she struck out swinging on a wild pitch.

She quickly stole second and came home on Alexa Ballard’s single up the middle to tie the score.

Ballard scored on Carmen Nadal’s double to right center to put OHS up, 2-1. Nadal then scored the eventual winning run on Jessica Callahan’s sacrifice fly.

“The seniors, and everyone on the team, knows that it’s time to play together, to do whatever we have to do for the team to be successful,” Ballard said. “The seniors don’t want this to end. We want to keep playing.”

Kowgirls pitcher Sasha Mendez relieved starter Kenya Pereira after the fourth inning, and though she surrendered a run in the fifth that brought Jenkins within a run, 3-2, she shut down the Eagles over the final two innings with help from her fielders.

Shortstop Nicole Osterman made a diving stop of a line drive up the middle in the sixth inning and completed a force play at second to stymie the Eagles, 21-5.

Center fielder Chantal Crockett tracked down a line drive for the first out of the seventh inning, and Callahan made the biggest defensive play for Osceola two batters later when her diving catch of a liner down the line with a runner on prevented Jenkins from tying the score. The ball bobbled out of her glove, but she was able to reel it back in.

“At first I wasn’t sure if I could get it, but I’m always diving for the ball,” she said. “I was able to grab it with my other hand to keep it from hitting the ground.”

Osceola had just three hits off Jenkins pitcher Kayla Montgomery. Pereira and Mendez limited the Eagles to four hits.

Osceola Coach George Coffey said it was a rewarding win during a rewarding season.

“I’m having a ball coaching these kids. They’re so much fun to work with. I enjoy coming to the field every day,” Coffey said. “They just keep on coming up with the plays when they need them. Nicole up the middle there and Chantel and Strawberry (Callahan) all made those big plays for us, and Sasha came in to finish it up. It got a little messy there at first, but she was able to get the outs when she needed to.”

Coffey said Pereira, who threw a complete game win against Haines City at the district tournament last week, wasn’t feeling well Tuesday.

“I asked her to give me four innings, and she did,” Coffey said. “We knew coming in that they (Jenkins) weren't anything super, but they are a good, solid team and Coach Jeff Lang does a tremendous job with that program down there. They always are well-coached and they are going to give you fits. (Tuesday) the softball gods smiled our way, and we’re happy to take the win.”

It was Osceola’s first regional softball victory since 2005, when the Lady Kowboys reached the regional finals before losing at state champion Palm Beach Gardens.

Osceola, No. 8 in the Miracle Sports Class 5A poll, is enjoying one of its best seasons since reaching the 1996 state tournament. Ballard, one of three college signees in the OHS infield, said she is looking forward to the daunting task of playing Bartow, 25-1 and ranked No. 3 in Florida and No. 2 in Class 5A by Miracle Sports.

“It should be fun,” she said. “You always like to play against the good teams.”