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Region softball: Canterbury 5, Academy at the Lakes 3

 
Published May 10, 2017

TAMPA — Canterbury avenged a district final loss to Academy at the Lakes with a 5-3 win in Tuesday's Class 2A region final. Including the regular season, the rivals split four games this season.

The Crusaders (23-7) advance to the state semifinals for the ninth time in the past 10 seasons, a run that included state championships in 2011, 2013 and 2014. The Wildcats (20-3) are now 1-2 in region finals.

"The district loss was a painful loss for some of these ladies," Canterbury coach Jody Moore said. "I think they have spent every day since working hard on how they were going to win this game tonight."

Canterbury scored all the runs it needed in the fourth inning. Madison Fine hit a two-run single with two outs before Taylor Bump blasted a three-run home run. Bump, a Michigan signee, has three homers in the past two games and a state-leading 16 this season.

"(AATL starter Alexis Kilfoyl is) a great pitcher and we knew that we needed more runs," Bump said. "I wasn't thinking at all, just swinging."

Ashley Campbell earned the win on the mound, scattering five hits with four strikeouts and six walks.

"I never go out there trying to strike out people, because I trust my defense," she said.

Kilfoyl homered in the bottom of the fourth and the Wildcats got their final two runs on Jessica Mott's two-run double with two outs in the seventh.