Nathan Cowan, Times Correspondent
Saturday, February 19, 2011
SEMINOLE — Seminole second baseman Missy Miles waited all night to get her chance.
With Seminole playing from behind throughout Friday's game against Tarpon Springs, she came through in the clutch twice.
In the bottom of the seventh inning with the Warhawks trailing 2-1, Miles singled and after moving to second on a sacrifice, scored on a single by Lauren Brucker to tie the game at 2. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Miles drove in Kristy Fudge to defeat the Spongers 3-2.
"This game shows the leadership of our two seniors," Seminole coach Mark DeRuzzo said. "They have the younger girls playing as a team."
The Spongers scored both of their runs in the first inning. Andrea Faison reached on a single and moved to second on a walk. An error by the shortstop allowed Faison to score and Hallie Marshall singled in Tarpon Springs' second run of the inning.
"Jenny Sittloh struggled in the beginning of the game," DeRuzzo said of his pitcher who threw all 11 innings. "She kept her composure and her teammates supported her. We could have folded the tent there."
Seminole got one run back in the bottom of the first. Fudge doubled and scored on single by Tiffany Race.
Both teams had chances throughout the game but neither could push another run until late in the contest.
"We have done that all year," Spongers coach Dion Weaver said. "Timely hitting wins ball games, and we couldn't get the ball in play when we needed to."
Marshall led the Spongers with three singles and an RBI while Faison added two singles.
Brucker led the Warhawks with three singles and an RBI while Miles, Sittloh and Race had two singles apiece.