SPRING HILL – At this point, Paige Pfent’s home run heroics are almost becoming predictable.
It may have felt that way as she rounded the bases Tuesday night, after the right-hander hit a majestic two-run shot well beyond the fence in right-center field to end the Class 6A, Region II semifinal against visiting Crystal River, providing the host Lady Eagles with a 3-1 victory in eight innings.
“I’m having the most confidence I’ve ever had in the box right now,” Pfent said. “Everything’s kind of coming my way and I can’t be more thankful for that, and more thankful for the team and the support and everything. When I saw (the home run pitch) I just knew I had to take a hard hack at it. I had to at least get it in the outfield.”
The sophomore catcher came into the game hitting .557 with 14 doubles, 11 homers and 50 runs batted in, but like most of the Lady Eagles (27-1) she had been stymied through the first seven innings by freshman Jaden Vickers of the Lady Pirates (11-18).
This was the fourth meeting between the two district opponents, the prior three won by Springstead. But Crystal River, the sixth seed in the six-team district tournament, clearly wasn’t the same team as earlier in the season.
“They’ve got a lot to be proud of. They played really well and they’re going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Springstead head coach Craig Swartout said. “I’m glad we don’t got to play them again. Four times is enough for me.”
Prior to Pfent’s bomb, the Lady Eagles had mustered just three hits and struck out 12 times versus Vickers. Pfent had walked to start the bottom the fourth, and that eventually led to a RBI double to left off the bat of Megan Nelski.
That score held going into the top of the seventh, when Savannah Edwards led off with a double. Two outs followed, and Lexi Laxton was down to her last strike before singling into center field to plate the tying run.
With the game going into extra innings, Abby Oliver began the home half of the eighth by lifting a fly ball dropped by the right fielder for an error. The next batter was Pfent, and she would be the last.
“When we turn the lineup over, we’ve got a chance to win,” Swartout said. “We’ve got five, six girls that can hit home runs. But Paige in the three hole was just a factor that teams just have to deal with, and it’s tough for them to do because we’ve got speed ahead of her and we’ve got hitting behind her. So she’s well-protected in the lineup.
“She was looking to go to right field all the way. As long as I’ve been a coach here I’ve never seen anybody go (opposite field) at this field (for a homer). When you hit it to the portables (beyond right field), usually you win the game.”
“It means a lot because nobody really predicted us getting here, and everybody really oversaw us,” Pfent said. “I just knew I wanted to hit behind her because I knew Abby has wheels, and I knew that Kayla (Cruz) was coming up. No matter what, that run was going to score. No matter what. We were at a really good part of our lineup and good things come.”
Kama Woodall allowed seven hits over eight innings with seven strikeouts for Springstead, which will participate in a regional final for the second time, having done so previously in 2012. The Lady Eagles will host Land O’ Lakes on Friday at 7 p.m.
“Confidence-wise, I think the moon’s the limit,” Swartout said. “We faced some adversity and we fought through it, and that’s the most important thing. We fought through the adversity and we gave ourselves a chance to win the game. That’s all we can ask. Give yourself a chance and then you go from there.”
Lady Sharks shut out Bishop Moore
For so many years, when a Hernando County team in any sport has run into Orlando-Bishop Moore Catholic in the regional playoffs, it has ended with a loss.
But on Tuesday night, the powerhouse private school had no answers on the softball diamond as host Nature Coast earned a 4-0 victory in a 5A-II semifinal.
“It was huge,” Nature Coast head coach Jug Olmstead said. “We felt confident going in it. We got a great performance in the (pitching) circle. I knew we would play good defense. It’s a huge win for our program, for the school and everybody involved.”
The Lady Sharks (25-4) scored twice in the bottom of the second, Celine Kordon doubling in one and Alyssa Gonzalez brought in another on a bunt single. Mare Sparacia added a sacrifice fly and Chyloe Gonzalez, who went 2-for-3 with a double, tacked on a RBI single in the fifth.
Meanwhile, Abbey Primavera went the distance allowing three hits and a walk while striking out three.
“Everything was predicated starting in the circle with the pitcher being efficient, and she was right on again,” Olmstead said. “That’s three games in a row she hasn’t thrown a lot of pitches. And we just played really solid defense.”
Nature Coast, which had never won a regional contest before this year, travels to South Sumter for its regional final on Friday, also at 7 p.m. The Lady Sharks made that trip back on April 5, losing 6-4, though Primavera had just returned from an ankle injury.
“When I put them on the schedule, you try not to look too far in advance of things, but I thought it was a possibility to meet them again,” Olmstead said. “We’re ready. We’re excited. We’re real excited.”
Follow Chris Bernhardt Jr. on Twitter @cpbernhardtjr.