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State softball: The game is in Boca Ciega ace's bloodline

 
Sophomore Caylie VanAuken and Boca Ciega are in program’s first state semifinal.
Sophomore Caylie VanAuken and Boca Ciega are in program’s first state semifinal.
Published May 6, 2015

GULFPORT — For Boca Ciega ace Caylie VanAuken, baseball and softball are part of her family's history.

• Her great-grandfather, Don Machen, was a longtime baseball coach at Largo who started Cross Bayou Little League.

• Her great-uncle, Lance VanAuken, is the vice president of Little League Baseball.

• Her grandfather, Calvin VanAuken, was a long-time umpire at the high school and college levels and a former softball coach at Osceola.

• Her father, Calvin Jr., played baseball at Osceola.

• Her aunt, Carly VanAuken, played softball at Osceola and Kennesaw State. She is now an assistant coach at her college alma mater.

With that kind of lineage, it seemed only natural that VanAuken would gravitate toward those sports. But her sporting life at an early age was completely different.

"I was a cheerleader," she said.

It wasn't until VanAuken was 10 that she started playing softball. She began pitching on a regular basis within the past three seasons.

"You could say I had a little bit of a late start with softball and with pitching," VanAuken said. "I was questionable at first, especially with pitching. But I've been starting it seriously and working hard at it."

Now the sophomore has become an improbable star on a team that has made one of the unlikeliest postseason runs in state softball history. The Pirates, who were 5-10 entering the district tournament, have won five straight to reach the state semifinals for the first time.

VanAuken has been a major contributor. She is 8-8 with a 2.91 ERA and 145 strikeouts. At the plate, she is hitting a team-leading .521.

"I think it's pretty good making it all the way to states," VanAuken said. "When we played Lakewood in our first district game we started hitting and our bats came alive.

"That's when we realized, 'Wow we can actually do this. We can actually win.' We have bats. We have defense. We can keep this going. It's been fun. At school, I've been a celebrity."

Though VanAuken is only a second-year starter, she has led through her performance.

"I don't even have words for what we're doing," first-year Boca Ciega coach Robin Little said. "From where we started to how we're finishing has just been incredible. Being a sophomore is just a little bit young, but for Caylie there's a lot of respect. And the players feel very supportive of her on the mound and feel like good things are going to happen."

Now comes the hard part. The Pirates (10-10) play defending Class 5A state champion and nationally ranked Plantation American Heritage (24-1-1) in tonight's semifinals. VanAuken's family — with the exception of Carly, who is with Kennesaw State in the conference tournament — plans to make the trip.

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"It's cool because a lot of people doubted us," VanAuken said. "But we're here, and we just have to keep playing the way we've been playing the past few weeks."

Contact Bob Putnam at bputnam@tampabay.com. Follow @BobbyHomeTeam.