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Softball: 4-Run 4th Inning Lifts Knights Past Gulf

ROYAL KNIGHTS 5, BUCCANEERS 1

Eric Horchy/SUNCOAST

River Ridge's Audrey Abell slides in safely for a steal as Gulf shortstop Jessica Santoli awaits the throw.

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By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: March 26, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - Lakyn Shull took care of the pitching, Sarah Simon handled the offense, and River Ridge won 5-1 on Senior Night over visiting Gulf High.

Shull's hard-throwing approach kept Buccaneers hitters on their heels all night long and the sophomore finished with a complete game six-hitter topped off with 11 strikeouts.

The Lady Knights grabbed the early lead 1-0 in the first inning courtesy of senior catcher Sarah Simon's RBI double that plated leadoff hitter Audrey Abell.

Gulf starting pitcher Rachel Enerson settled down nicely following Simon's double and kept River Ridge off the board for two straight innings. Then the Knights' bats finally put a sustained attack together in the fourth.

River Ridge used six base hits during the frame to increase its lead to 5-0. Simon capped the scoring with her second and third RBI's seven batters into the inning. First baseman Ana Alberti and Abell also added RBI singles.

Seemingly on cruise control through six innings, Shull's shutout bid was thwarted in the seventh. Gulf shortstop Jessica Santoli started things off by ripping a triple down the third-base line. Amber Maxey then followed immediately with an RBI single up the middle. But thanks to two athletic plays in the field by River Ridge second baseman Ashley Garland, Shull and the Knights closed the game down with no additional damage incurred.

River Ridge head coach Ernie Beck said he was not too surprised with the game's overall competitiveness.

"Gulf always gets up for this game to play us well," he said. "(Enerson) was placing the ball really well and we normally don't start out by lighting the house on fire early. It usually takes the second time through the order until we start. Tonight it was about two-and-a-half times through when we started ripping the ball."

The win gives the Lady Knights their sixth in a row heading into a weekend tournament.

Despite the loss, Gulf still continues to play well down the stretch. Thursday ended its two-game winning streak. The Lady Buccaneers previously beat Class 4A, District 8 foes Nature Coast Tech and Sunlake High back to back.

BOX SCORE:

GULF- 000 - 000 - 1 --- 1
RIVER RIDGE- 100 - 400 - 0 --- 5

TOP PERFORMERS:

Gulf

Jessica Santoli- 1-for-3, 3B, R
Amber Maxey - 2-for-3, RBI
Taylor Bruckner – 1-for-2, Sac Bunt

River Ridge

Lakyn Shull – W, 7 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 11 K, CG
Sarah Simon - 2-for-3, 3 RBI, 2B
Audrey Abell – 2-for-4, RBI, 2 R, SB

Eric Horchy can be reached at 727-815-1071 or ehorchy@suncoastnews.com.

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