Player of the Year: C Mia Fung, Jr., Strawberry Crest Why we picked her: Providing staunch defense and staggering offensive numbers, Fung led the Chargers to a 24-3 record and the four-year-old program’s first playoff triumph. Wielding a 33-inch Easton Synergy bat, the Chargers catcher hit for average and altitude: ...
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Sat. June 01, 2013 at 4:16 p.m. | Joey Knight
PALM HARBOR — It was all there for Palm Harbor University, everything it wanted. A chance to unseat defending Class 8A state champion Durant and exact revenge for a loss in last year’s region semifinals. The Hurricanes were clinging to a one-run lead in the seventh inning. Logyn Lilley was ...
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Tue. April 30, 2013 at 11:18 p.m. | Bob Putnam
Region softball semifinals 7 p.m. Tuesday unless noted Durant (20-8) at Palm Harbor University (24-4) First pitch: 4 p.m. At stake: Winner faces Orlando Timber Creek/Orlando East River winner in Friday’s Class 8A region finals Who’s hot for Durant: Everyone with a bat. The Cougars, hitting .363 as a team, ...
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Mon. April 29, 2013 at 3:37 p.m. | Joey Knight
CLEARWATER — The stretch of zeroes on the scoreboard extended through six innings as Freedom and Countryside, teams known for offense, had trouble manufacturing runs in Wednesday’s Class 7A region quarterfinal. It appeared to be more of the same in the seventh as the Patriots led off the inning with ...
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Wed. April 24, 2013 at 11:08 p.m. | Bob Putnam
GIBSONTON — If East Bay needed any motivation, the Indians didn’t have to look far. Perched behind the plate were a number of Indians from the 2010 state championship team, and their presence didn’t go unnoticed. “It’s an exciting thing knowing they were here for us,” catcher Madison Culver said. ...
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Thu. April 18, 2013 at 11:01 p.m. | Brandon Wright
DURANT — Class 8A, District 7 made another case for toughest district in the county Tuesday as fifth-seeded Wharton shocked second-seeded Bloomingdale 3-2 in the first district semifinal. Then sixth-seeded Alonso took defending state champion Durant the distance in a hard-fought, 1-0 Cougars victory. The Wildcats and Cougars will play ...
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Tue. April 16, 2013 at 10:39 p.m. | Andy Warrener
Softball super seven Records through Tuesday 1. Strawberry Crest (20-2): Chargers won seven of their 10 district games by 10-run rule 2. Durant (16-8): Cougars, 2-0 winners Tuesday vs. Chamberlain, are team no one wants to play 3. Chamberlain (17-7): Chiefs coach Bobby Diez livid over his team’s offensive execution ...
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Wed. April 10, 2013 at 11:38 a.m. | Joey Knight
Softball super seven Records through Tuesday 1. Strawberry Crest (18-2): Chargers came one bad inning from winning Bartow Home of Champions tourney 2. Chamberlain (16-6): Chiefs crushed Durant, which didn’t pitch Paige Davis, in Bartow tournament 3. Durant (14-8): Cougars dropped three in Bartow but have won seven district games ...
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Wed. April 03, 2013 at 11:14 a.m. | Joey Knight
Plant City senior Kristen Wyckoff signed her letter of intent Friday to play softball at USF. Wyckoff said the only other school she was seriously considering was Florida. USF was enarmored of her blazing speed, which made the leadoff hitter the fourth best in the state with 42 steals last ...
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Fri. Nov. 16, 2012 at 5:38 p.m. | Darek Sharp
Plant City softball coach Heidi Kouveras, who led the Raiders to the playoffs in six of her nine seasons, told the Times today she has resigned to relocate to northern Alabama. Kouveras, whose family moved to Huntsville four years ago, has taken a job at Shades Valley High in Irondale, ...
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Thu. July 26, 2012 at 3:18 p.m. | Joey Knight
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
Player of the year: Bianka Bell, Sr., Chamberlain Why we picked her: Arguably the most powerful hitter in Hillsborough County fast-pitch history, Bell was a leadoff hit — or homer — waiting to happen for the Class 7A state champs. The younger sister of two SEC players, she hit .720 ...
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Fri. June 01, 2012 at 11:47 a.m. | Joey Knight
Rachel Dwyer pitched a two-hitter, Madison Gonzalez had two hits and Bianka Bell sealed the victory with her eighth home run as Chamberlain beat Seminole 3-0 in a Class 7A region quarterfinal. After losing their final three games of the regular season, Chamberlain has won three straight, with Dwyer allowing ...
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Thu. April 26, 2012 at 12:23 a.m. | John C. Cotey
TAMPA — Emily Gaitan’s book on Plant City was right on the money. “Plant City is not going to let up — ever,” she said. “You have to expect that and you’ve got to do your job.” The Riverview junior right-handed pitcher did her job Friday night, and freshman outfielder ...
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Sat. April 21, 2012 at 12:22 a.m. | Don Jensen
LUTZ — Steinbrenner will head into tonight’s Class 7A, District 9 final to play a team it hasn’t beat all season. Then again, that didn’t stop the Warriors on Wednesday night. Behind a super outing by sophomore pitcher Kellee Ramsey — on the mound and in the batter’s box — ...
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Thu. April 19, 2012 at 12:06 a.m. | John C. Cotey