Youth Sports Report:

New Tampa wins Major softball state title

Posted Jul 28, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Jul 28, 2010 at 12:34 PM

It took extra innings, but New Tampa Little League’s major softball team is headed to the Southeast regional after a 7-4 victory in nine innings against South Tampa Little League in Fort Myers.

“I could not stress how happy myself or Coach Hall or Coach Matich are to be a part of what these girls are doing,” Manager Lou Pastore said. “When you see it all come together and it all starts happening the way you envisioned it and you see the girls perform and hold up their part, it’s special to be a part of.”

New Tampa had built a 3-0 lead entering the sixth inning, but South Tampa rallied to tie the game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to send the game into extra innings. After two scoreless innings, New Tampa finally broke the game open in the top of the ninth, Maddy Hall and Kamryn Beach hitting back-to-back singles.

After a force out at third for the first out, a wild pitch allowed the runners to advance to second and third. Skyler Boynton then grounded down the third-base line, which the fielder held to prevent either runner from advancing to load the bases, and Meagan Bell followed with a bases-clearing double to make the score 6-3. Bell then scored herself on a sacrifice fly by Makaleigh Dooley to make the score 7-3.

South Tampa tried to rally in the bottom of the inning, pushing one run across, but Beach struck out the final two hitters to end the game and earn New Tampa its first state championship. Beach had come in relief of Bell, who almost completed the game in regulation going 5 2/3 innings, and closed out the game.

“It’s breathtaking, I’m at a loss for words over it,” Pastore said. “You want so much for these girls, especially when you see how much they give back. They don’t leave anything on the field, when we leave practice, when they leave a game, they’re drained. They literally give everything that we expect from them and then some, so to be going to represent the state of Florida, it’s definitely memorable for these girls.”

New Tampa opens the Southeast regional in Macon, Ga. on Thursday, where they will face Barboursville from West Virginia at 10 a.m. in the opening game of the tournament.