TAMPA — Twice this season, Gaither coach Al Alcala watched and winced from his dugout as district nemesis Chamberlain parlayed a Cowboys flub or faulty pitch into one run after another.But on Thursday, Alcala's grimacing disappeared, as did the Chiefs' normally stout defense.In the county's most stunning district tournament upset, ...
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Thu. April 22, 2010 at 8:58 p.m. | Joey Knight
Softball Super 71. Plant (19-4): Panthers dropped two of three in Kissimmee, but shined Tuesday in 7-0 romp of Bloomingdale2. Chamberlain (14-4): Chiefs suffered one-run losses to Miami Gulliver and Jacksonville Bolles in Kissimmee3. East Bay (16-7): Eleven Indians had hits in Tuesday’s 26-0 shellacking of Armwood4. Sickles (18-4): With ...
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Thu. April 08, 2010 at 11:09 a.m. | Joey Knight
Times’ Super Seven1. Chamberlain (13-2): Chiefs’ win streak at 13 after Amber Fullwood’s one-hitter Wednesday at Freedom2. Plant (16-2): Panthers prevail in Spring Fling despite missing a handful of key players in final3. East Bay (15-7): Catcher-turned-pitcher C.C. Rock may have delivered gutsiest performance of Spring Fling4. Newsome (14-4): In ...
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Thu. April 01, 2010 at 5:15 p.m. | Joey Knight
Times’ Super 71. Chamberlain (11-2): Chiefs, on an 11-game win streak, catapult three spots after defeating Plant and Gaither on consecutive nights2. Plant (12-2): Panthers get a tough opening-round draw — Bradenton’s Lakewood Ranch — in Spring Fling3. Newsome (10-3): Wolves, averaging six runs a contest, enter Spring Fling on ...
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Thu. March 25, 2010 at 2:02 p.m. | Joey Knight
TAMPA — The more Chamberlain sophomore Bianka Bell fidgeted in the batter's box, the more Bob Diez did the same in the third base coach's box. By the sixth inning of Tuesday's game against Gaither, the veteran Chiefs coach had seen enough frivolous footwork. Two pitches into Bell's at-bat, with ...
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Tue. March 23, 2010 at 7:05 p.m. | Joey Knight
As untouchable as East Bay right-hander Kayla Cox has seemed this season, veteran coach Glenn Rodriguez knew the Indians' periodic lack of offensive support for the North Carolina State signee could come back to haunt them. Following an anemic effort Friday in a 1-0 victory against Durant, when Cox struck ...
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Tue. March 23, 2010 at 10:29 a.m. | Joey Knight
Times’ Super 71. Plant (8-1): Panthers have won their five district games by a combined score of 35-52. East Bay (8-4): Coach Glenn Rodriguez wants it known: His defense behind Kayla Cox is pretty good, too.3. Newsome (7-3): Wolves coming off impressive wins over Riverview and Plant City.4. Chamberlain (7-2): ...
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Thu. March 18, 2010 at 11:53 a.m. | Joey Knight
Thanks to Friday's swath of precipitation, our live coverage of local baseball and softball action has been mired in a rain delay. Initially, we planned to bring you reports from Newsome-Plant City softball as well as Riverview-Plant and Bloomingdale-Brandon baseball. Since those games were put on hold, we pre-empt our ...
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Fri. March 12, 2010 at 5:33 p.m. | Times Staff
Times’ Super 71. Plant (7-1): Behind pitchers Miranda Clark and Rose Yanger, Panthers have shut out past three foes.2. East Bay (7-4): Indians are 5-0 in county’s best district behind Kayla Cox, who has yet to surrender an earned run.3. Newsome (6-3): Dropped two of last three entering tonight’s game ...
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Thu. March 11, 2010 at 2:06 p.m. | Joey Knight
TAMPA — Saddled with a green lineup and some rotten preseason luck, Chamberlain coach Bob Diez knew the ripening of his 2010 club would take time. It took a week. On a frigid Friday night, the Chiefs collected nine hits and got a sterling effort from freshman right-hander Amber Fullwood ...
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Fri. Feb. 26, 2010 at 8:16 p.m. | Joey Knight
When Class 5A, District 8 was realigned for softball, it was as if the planets had been aligned for east Hillsborough fast-pitch junkies. Unbeknownst to the FHSAA honchos who re-sorted the districts (something done every two years when schools report their student populations), a super league was created. Durant, East ...
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Sun. Feb. 07, 2010 at 3:31 p.m. | Joey Knight
After a one-year absence, Al Alcala is returning as Gaither's softball coach. Alcala, who guided the Cowboys to 20-win campaigns in each of his three seasons, confirmed his return Tuesday. A Tampa Fire Rescue investigator by day, he's technically a "volunteer coach" for now because his coaching certification expired. Jerry ...
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Tue. Jan. 26, 2010 at 2:09 p.m. | Joey Knight
Gaither senior pitcher Megan McGrath has committed to Alabama-Birmingham and will sign her letter of intent next Thursday at the school, Gaither sotball coach Heather Castle said. McGrath's twin sister, Kristen, has also committed to the Blazers. The sisters committed just before this school year began, Castle said. Megan McGrath, ...
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Thu. Nov. 05, 2009 at 3:07 p.m. | Eduardo A. Encina
Gaither senior pitcher Kristen McGrath has committed to Alabama-Birmingham and will sign her letter of intent next Thursday at the school, Gaither sotball coach Heather Castle said. McGrath’s twin sister, Megan, has also committed to the Blazers. The sisters committed just before this school year began, Castle said. Kristen McGrath ...
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Thu. Nov. 05, 2009 at 3:04 p.m. | Eduardo A. Encina