NEW PORT RICHEY — River Ridge earned its 5-0 win over Mitchell in Tuesday’s Class 6A region semifinal with the same formula it has used throughout a 17-game winning streak — strong offense, tight defense and dominant pitching. “It was a pretty perfect game,” ace Makenzie Goluba said. After struggling ...
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Tue. April 30, 2013 at 10:36 p.m. | Matt Baker
Region softball semifinals 7 Tuesday night unless noted Class 6A: Mitchell (19-6) at River Ridge (27-1) Winner gets: Strawberry Crest/Bradenton Lakewood Ranch winner in Friday’s region final Skinny: The Royal Knights have cruised all season — including a 16-3 win over Sebring in the playoff opener. Ace Makenzie Goluba hasn’t ...
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Mon. April 29, 2013 at 3:12 p.m. | Matt Baker
NEW PORT RICHEY — At least Sebring got to enjoy a lead. Other than that, the six-hour round trip wasn’t much worth it. River Ridge predictably crushed the overmatched Blue Streaks 16-3 in a game that was halted after 4 1/2 innings. Jada Power clubbed a grand slam to cap ...
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Thu. April 25, 2013 at 10:14 p.m. | Darek Sharp
LAND O’LAKES — Makenzie Goluba, having lost a perfect game bid then the lead, savored the chance for redemption. And she jumped all over it. With River Ridge down a run, the bases loaded and two out Friday, Goluba clobbered a two-run single to give the Royal Knights a thrilling ...
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Fri. April 19, 2013 at 10:47 p.m. | Darek Sharp
LAND O’LAKES — There were a couple of moments Wednesday when it looked like a monumental upset was possible. An early call took a run off the board for state-ranked River Ridge. Later with the margin 3-0 Land O’Lakes loaded the bases with no outs. But it takes more than ...
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Wed. April 17, 2013 at 10:48 p.m. | Darek Sharp
Softball super seven Records through Tuesday 1. River Ridge (21-1): The Royal Knights again showed North Suncoast superiority, winning Hernando’s tournament and beating a powerful Countryside team in the process. 2. Hernando (15-3): No shame in a one-run loss to River Ridge at the Leopard Slam — and a 9-2 ...
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Wed. April 03, 2013 at 4:52 p.m. | Matt Baker
BROOKSVILLE — In the quarterfinals of the Leopard Slam on Friday, Countryside advanced past Nature Coast 3-1. The Cougars will face Gulf, a 4-3 winner over Mitchell. In the nightcap, Mitchell led for 4 1/2 innings before a bases-clearing triple from Buccaneers sophomore Haley McCarthy in the bottom of the ...
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Fri. March 29, 2013 at 11:03 p.m. | Andy Warrener
Softball super seven 1. River Ridge (16-1): Even when the Royal Knights are off — like allowing four early runs against Wesley Chapel — they’re on. Melissa Moore led River Ridge to a 15-5, five-inning victory over the Wildcats. 2. Hernando (10-2): Few teams are hotter than the Leopards, who ...
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Wed. March 20, 2013 at 12:00 p.m. | Matt Baker
Softball super seven Results through Tuesday 1. River Ridge (12-1): A 1-0 loss to Plant doesn’t hide the Royal Knights’ talent. River Ridge also knocked off Seminole and defending state champ Durant last week and blew out rival Mitchell 11-0 Tuesday. 2. Gulf (11-1): The Buccaneers seemed to have rebounded ...
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Wed. March 13, 2013 at 6:35 p.m. | Matt Baker
NEW PORT RICHEY — There’s a drill Gulf uses from time to time, where the Buccaneers’ defense must get 21 consecutive outs. Any error by any player, and the team must start over at zero. The pressure builds with each hit as the Bucs try to do what they could ...
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Wed. Feb. 27, 2013 at 9:40 p.m. | Matt Baker
Player of the Year: Bianka Bell, Sr., Chamberlain Put a 34-inch Easton Synergy in Bell’s hands, and the term “softball” never seemed more contradictory. The line-drive homers, the scorching grounders capable of ripping off a shortstop’s glove, the laser-type comebackers to the circle — try ascertaining what’s soft about any ...
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Wed. June 13, 2012 at 2:05 p.m. | Times Staff
Pitcher of the year: Alexis Adams, Sr., Springstead Why we picked her: Adams dominated the North Suncoast during the best individual and team season in school history. The powerful right-hander set single-season records in wins (22), strikeouts (227) and shutouts (11). Her top-notch accuracy helped her walk only 18 batters ...
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Fri. June 01, 2012 at 10:36 a.m. | Matt Baker
TRINITY — After losing two of its first three games to rival Mitchell, River Ridge got even with the one that mattered most. The Royal Knights used a six-run fourth inning and a late home run by Jada Clemons to earn a 10-7 victory in Friday night’s Class 6A region ...
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Fri. April 27, 2012 at 10:44 p.m. | Matt Baker
SPRING HILL — Alexis Adams’ sixth consecutive shutout kept Springstead in Tuesday’s Class 6A region quarterfinal long enough for its bats to break through. Hailey Drawe’s RBI double in the fifth put the Eagles up for good and helped them advance to their second region semifinal in program history with ...
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Tue. April 24, 2012 at 11:10 p.m. | Matt Baker
NEW PORT RICHEY — With River Ridge and Mitchell so evenly matched, it seemed almost inevitable the final would come down to the bottom of the seventh during a tie game. Mitchell captured the Class 6A, District 10 title in dramatic fashion, defeating rival River Ridge 5-4 Thursday on a ...
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Thu. April 19, 2012 at 10:46 p.m. | Basil Spyridakos