Bay Area Batting Order (Softball): Final Edition

Leadoff: Chamberlain (19-4)
Last week's ranking: 1st
Last week's results: lost to Dunnellon 3-2; def. Fort Myers 3-0; def. Sarasota 5-4
The Chiefs were out of school and hanging out near the water last week, but that's about as close to a spring break as they got. Their loss to Dunnellon, one of the state's best Class 4A teams, came in the Gold Division semifinals of the prestigious Bill Longshore Memorial Classic in Naples, where they placed third. 

Second: Plant (19-3)
Last week's ranking: 3rd
Last week's results: DNP
The only thing that will keep Chamberlain and Plant from meeting in the Class 5A, District 10 title game Friday night will be an unforeseen shower. Then they'll meet Saturday.

Three-hole: Durant (20-5)
Last week's ranking: 4th
Last week's results: DNP
The Cougars are the top seed in the Class 6A, District 8 tournament, which means little in this talented seven-team field.

Cleanup: Countryside (20-4)
Last week's ranking: 2nd
Last week's results: lost to Palm Harbor University 7-1; def. Seminole 8-5
Exhibit A in our case that fastpitch softball is ALL about pitching: Cougars freshman ace Alyssa Bache (calf) didn't go against Palm Harbor University and, well, you saw the results. 

Fifth: Pasco (21-2)
Last week's ranking: 5th
Last week's results: def. Ridgewood 9-1
The top-seeded Pirates enter the Class 4A, District 8 tournament with pitching, power, playoff savvy and, oh yeah, momentum. They've won 10 in a row.

Six-Hole: Riverview (14-7)
Last week's ranking: 6th
Last week's results: DNP
The resurgent Sharks are seeded fifth -- fifth -- in the 6A-8 tourney at East Bay, which only validates our claim you won't find a more exciting tournament in the area this week.

Seventh: Gaither (19-6)
Last week's ranking: 7th
Last week's results: DNP
Cowboys, coming off a strong effort in the Kowboy Klassic in central Florida, could face Sickles in the semifinals of the Class 6A, District 7 tournament. We've said it before and we'll say it again -- that's no gimme.

Eighth: Land O'Lakes (16-2)
Last week's ranking: 8th
Last week's results: def. Naples Barron Collier 4-3; def. Miami Westminster 9-2; def. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 10-5
The Gators knocked off three quality foes to win the Navy Division of the Longshore Memorial Classic in Naples. Also playing in that tourney (albeit in a higher division): River Ridge, whom the Gators likely will face in this week's Class 5A, District 7 title game.

Nine-Hole: Newsome (15-7)
Last week's ranking: 9th
Last week's results: DNP
Freedom is the only Class 5A, District 8 team to defeat Newsome, and those two wouldn't play until the finals of this week's district tournament.

On the bench: River Ridge, Sickles, Pinellas Park, East Lake, Nature Coast, Palm Harbor University

Comments

[Cowboy]

The Cowboys erase any doubt about whether they can make it out of Districts w/ a dominating 9 - 1 victory
over Sickles!