TRINITY — Mitchell had reached the region semifinals twice before (2003 and '06) Friday, but never advanced any farther.
Third time is the charm.
The Mustangs used a huge sixth inning, with five runs crossing the plate off six hits, combined with another solid performance from pitcher Cortney Radke to get by Zephyrhills 7-1 Friday night in a 4A region semifinal .
"What a hitting clinic," Mitchell coach Scott Bisbe said of the bottom of the sixth. "Not just fluke hits, but they were shots. We finally put an inning together against a quality team."
Mitchell's Heather Muccino led the charge in the bottom of the first after she doubled in Lydia Kinney to give the Mustangs (22-3) a 1-0 lead.
Muccino scored later in the inning, and Zephyrhills finally answered in the top of the fifth with a home run from third baseman Lacey Cook off Radke (10 strikeouts) to cut the lead to one.
Then came the sixth inning.
Kinney led off with a single and Muccino landed a triple to rightfield off Lauren Pasquale (five strikeouts) to begin the five-run inning that doomed the Bulldogs.
"I don't know how good (the next opponent) is going to be, but they are going to earn a win to beat this girl (Radke)," Zephyrhills coach Craig Milburn said.
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