High school roundup (March 6-11): Venice baseball wins in 10 innings
FRIDAY
BASEBALL
Venice 5, Island Coast 4, 10 inn.
TOP PLAYERS: V, Jon Embury 2-4, 3B, RBI, Jackson Lucas 2-5, run; Jeremiah Pachota 2-5, 2B, run
PITCHING: V, Nick Winterhalter 3.1 IP, hit, 2 Ks, Trent Adrian 1.2 IP, hit, walk, 3 Ks, Jeremiah Pachota 1.2 IP, 2 hit, 2 Ks, Carter Cox 2 IP, 2 hits, 3 Ks
OF NOTE: Venice wins in 10th on a leadoff double by Jeremiah Pachota and game-winning hit by winning pitcher Carter Cox
Imagine School at North Port 10, Saint Stephen’s 0, 6 inn.
TOP PLAYERS: ISNP, AJ Kestelz 3-3, run, RBI, John McCombs 2-3, 2 RBI, run
PITCHING: ISNP, Alexis Pereira 6 IP, 3 hits, 3 walks, 8 Ks
BOYS TENNIS
Venice 4, Out-of-Door 3
Singles: Robert Zhang (O) d. David Siddons 6-0, 6-0; Josh Lim (V) d. Prihvi Sudhakar 4-6, 6-2 (11-9); Seth Neitlich (V) d. Levi Felsman 6-3, 7-5; Pranav Mayor (V) d. Cash Murphy 6-2, 6-3; Dhruv Sufhakar (O) d. Simon Ayer 7-5, 7-5
Doubles: Zhang/Sudhakar (O) d. Siddons/Neitlich 4-2, 4-2; Lim/Evan VanBuskirk (V) d. Flesman/Murphy 4-0, 2-4 (10-7)
GIRLS TENNIS
Venice 7, Out-of-Door 0
Singles: Joy Jia d. Ines Visa 6-1, 6-0; McKenzie DeLong d. Ainsley Crean 6-0, 6-3; Leah Woolverton d. Nida Madelis 6-0, 6-1; Sophia Trijelo d. Lia Slavov 6-4, 4-6 (10-5); EMma Edlin d. Audrey Cochran 6-4, 6-0
Doubles: Christine Wu/Tess Tchorbadjiev d. Visa/Crean 4-1, 4-0; Woolverton/Trijelo d. Madelis/Slavov 4-0, 5-3
Lemon Bay 7, Hardee County 0
Singles: Parker Zautcke d. Maddie Schraeder 6-0, 6-2; Rosey Lowder d. Drew Beattie 6-1, 6-1; Avery Shirley d. Morgan Dickey 6-0, 6-1; Alaina Maday d. Addi Duncan 6-0, 6-2; Mercedes Roesler d. Micayla Gillispie 6-0, 6-0
Doubles: Zautcke/Lowder d. Schraeder/Beattie 8-6; Shirley/Maday d. Dickey/Duncan 8-1
Saint Stephen's Episcopal 19, St. Petersburg High 1
AT: Saint Stephen's
TOP PLAYERS: Matt Vara 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 ground balls, Justin Millican 4 goals, 3 assists, 3 ground balls, Joey Droge 3 goals, 2 assists, Nicholas Pagnotta 1 save
RECORDS: Saint Stephen's 5-0, St. Petersburg 1-5
OF NOTE: Justin Millican scored his 100th career goal
NEXT: Saint Stephen's at Tampa Catholic, 6 p.m. Wednesday
GIRLS LACROSSE
Saint Stephen’s 12 Manatee HS 11
TOP PLAYERS: SS, Sienna Cassella 4 goals, 2 ground balls, causes turnover, 18 draw controls; Ashling Marshall 4 goals, 4 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers, 3 draw controls
NEXT: Bishop Verot at Saint Stephen’s
FLAG FOOTBALL
Palmetto 25 Dwyer 6
AT: Park Vista High School
TOP PLAYERS: P, Kennedi Duncan threw 3 TD passes and rushed for 1 in the Tigers 5th win of the season.
Park Vista 26 Palmetto 6
OF NOTE: The Cobras took advantage of 2 Tiger interceptions in the 1st half to hand Palmetto its first loss of the season.
RECORD: Palmetto 5-1
NEXT: Palmetto at Southeast on March 23
TRACK AND FIELD
North Port Invitational
Boys
Team standings: 1. Sarasota 72
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Boyer in 110h (1st), 400h (1st), 200, Caleb Bradley 110h (2nd) , 400 (1st), 200 (1st), Tyler Pack in HJ (2nd), Alec Miller in 1600 (1st).
THURSDAY
SOFTBALL
Lakewood Ranch 3, Braden River 0
LAKEWOOD RANCH − The mood around the Lakewood Ranch High softball team has not been chipper - with good reason.
The Mustangs suffered three straight losses for the first time since the 2014 season. In fact, the three losses are the most in a season since 2018.
“It’s definitely something new for us,” Lakewood Ranch senior infielder Amanda Lee said. “The mood has been down. Obviously, it’s going to be down. No one’s really happy with a loss.”
Lee made sure the Mustangs started hot.
On the fourth pitch of the game, the Lakewood Ranch leadoff hitter drilled her second home run of the season over the left field fence to start a three-run first inning and the host Mustangs went on to a 3-0 victory over Braden River High on Thursday evening.
“It definitely felt good to get the game going on the right note,” Lee said.
Ella Dodge followed the home run with a walk and stolen base. Cassidy McLellan reached on an infield single. Grace Shaw Rockey walked to load the bases.
Addyson Bruneman hit a sacrifice fly for the second run. Leah James dropped a sacrifice bunt for the third run.
That was more than enough for Payton Knight, who got the nod in the circle. Knight, a senior right-hander, allowed three hits, none after the third inning, and retired the final 12 hitters she faced.
Knight struck out three and did not walk a hitter while receiving flawless defense behind her.
The Mustangs did not lose to any slouches, losing a pair of one-run games to Windermere sandwiched between a setback to unbeaten Parrish Community.
“This is a new experience for us, especially with the younger group,” said Lakewood Ranch coach and Amanda’s father Todd Lee. “We’ve always understood Lakewood Ranch just rolls and rolls over people. They still have to understand their fight level. They’ve got to come out and produce and play at the high level that we need.”
The Mustangs (7-3) are off until March 21 at home against Sarasota High.
“Spring break is coming at the right time for us to kinda take a mental break and regroup,” Coach Lee said. “We’ve had a rough stretch here facing fantastic pitching. I’m glad it’s happening now. We’ve been in this situation the last couple of years and we’ve come back all right.”
“It’s going to help us,” Amanda Lee said. “It’s going to make us realize we’re going to have to put in the extra work. We’re going to have to be there for each other. We’re going to have to pick each other up. It’s not necessarily a setback, but an eye-opener. We have to be prepared.”
Braden River (2-5) played solid defense, got strong pitching from freshman Kaydence Evans after the first inning, but struggled at the plate.
Evans had two of the Pirates’ three hits, and Mya Blue had the other. They just could not put together a rally.
“We’re just now really starting to drill hitting techniques and different drills. We have a long way to go with hitting,” Braden River first-year coach Morgan Bruce said. “Defense has been really good. It’s been mostly the consistency of the hitting and stringing hits together.”
Braden River’s next game also is March 21 at Palmetto.
North Fort Myers 6, North Port 4
NEXT: Charlotte at North Port 7 p.m., March 22
BASEBALL
Venice 1, Sarasota 0
AT: Sarasota High
TOP PLAYERS: Trent Adrian 3-3, Brady Schumaker 1-3, RBI; S, Rex Smith 2-2
PITCHING: V, Jackson Lucas 4.1 IP, 5 hits, 3 Ks; Simon Yochum 2.2 IP, 2 Ks; S, Luke Jackson 6.1 IP, 8 hits, run, 2 walks, 5 Ks
NOTE: Yochum got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth inning.
Sarasota Christian 13, Lakeside Christian 3, 6 inn.
AT: Sarasota Christian School
TOP PLAYERS: Randall Collins 2-3, HR, 3 RBI, Collin Lawson 2-3, 3 RBI, 2 R,
PITCHING: SC, Justin Brock 5 IP, 1 H, 6 K
RECORDS: Sarasota Christian 4-2, Lakeside Christian 1-4
NEXT: Sarasota Christian vs SILO (OK), March 18
GIRLS TENNIS
Lemon Bay 7, Hardee County 0
AT: Roach/Maier Tennis Complex at Lemon Bay High
Singles: Parker Zautcke d. Maddie Schrader 6-0, 6-2; Rosey Lowder d. Drew Beattie 6-1, 6-1; Avery Shirley d. Morgan Dickey 6-0, 6-1; Alaina Maday d. Addi Duncan 6-0, 6-2; Mercedes Roesler d. Micayla Gillispie 6-0, 6-0
Doubles: P. Zautcke/R. Lowder (LB) d. M. Schraeder/D. Beattie 8-6; A. Shirley/Alaina Maday (LB) def. M. Dickey/A. Duncan 8-1
RECORDS: Lemon Bay 7-2. Hardee 5-3
NEXT: Lemon Bay at Out-of-Door Academy, 3:30 p.m., March 21
BOYS TENNIS
Lemon Bay 7, Hardee County 0
Singles: Steve Ethier d. Aiden Thomas 6-2, 6-0; Hunter Andres d. Ryan Albritton 6-4, 6-1; Billy Rand d. Davis Roberts 6-1, 7-5; Gray Lowder d. Wyatt Rowland 6-2, 6-3; Caleb Hutcherson d. Braddock Dickey 6-1, 6-1
Doubles: Ethier/Andres d. Thomas/Albritton 8-1; Rand/Lowder d. Roberts/Rowland 8-1
GIRLS LACROSSE
Bradenton Christian 17, Boca Ciega 3
AT: Boca Ciega
TOP PLAYERS: BC, Juliana Bartz: 2 goals, assist, 9 draw controls, 4 caused turnovers, 3 ground balls, Charlotte West 5 goals, 4 draw control, 2 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers, Adelyn Bartz 2 goals, 6 draw controls, 4 ground balls, 2 caused turnovers
RECORDS: Bradenton Christian 4-4
NEXT: Clearwater Central Catholic at Bradenton Christian, 5:30 p.m. March 23
BOYS LACROSSE
Saint Stephen's Episcopal 19, Manatee High 8
AT: Saint Stephen's
TOP PLAYERS: SS, Joey Droge 7 goals, 3 assists, 5 ground balls, Matt Vara 5 goals, 3 assists, 9 ground balls, Justin Millican 3 goals, 4 assists, 5 ground balls, Mason Dillingham 2 goals, 2 assists, Nick Pagnotta 8 saves
RECORDS: Saint Stephen's 4-0, Manatee 2-7
NEXT: St. Petersburg High at Saint Stephen's, 6 p.m. Friday
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Cardinal Mooney 5, Southeast 0
TOP PLAYERS: CM, Gracie Page/Sawyer DeYoung 21-6, 21-5; Helena Hebda/Madeline Carson 21-3, 21-5; Kate Montesano/Riley Greene 21-0, 21-3
RECORD: Cardinal Mooney 4-0
WEDNESDAY
SOFTBALL
Sarasota 5, North Port 4
SARASOTA − Brooke Bendel learned to wait for the fastball and pass on the changeup, even if it means putting her behind in the count.
“My whole career in softball I’ve learned if you have one strike to let that changeup go because all you can do is roll it over,” Bendel said. “So, yes, I was waiting for that fastball.”
The Sarasota High senior drilled the fastball into the left field corner to produce the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning and give the Sailors a 5-4 victory Wednesday evening over visiting North Port High.
“Honestly, I was just trying to go for a base hit, because I trust my teammates behind me,” Bendel said. “I know she was pitching me inside all game and I was waiting for that. That was my pitch to drive.”
Bendel’s double to the left field corner against Bobcats pitcher Jewelie Vanderkous scored speedy courtesy runner Avery Arrington with the deciding run, as Sarasota averted disaster.
The Sailors (5-1) allowed a 4-0 lead to evaporate when the Bobcats rallied for four runs in the fifth inning.
“They don’t quit. It shows what kind of team we are,” Sarasota coach Heather Mushrush. “We’re scrappy. We have some things we need to tighten up a little bit, but at the same time, we pull it together and pull through. Brooke has been clutch in those situations.”
Held to three hits and no runs through the first four innings, North Port (4-2) jumped on relief pitcher Miranda Gill for three runs before Mushrush returned starter Ryleigh Bennett to the circle.
Vanderkous opened the scoring with a solo home run to dead center field. Elise Indico, who had two hits and reached base three times, also knocked in a run. The Sailors did not help their cause with a couple of errors in the inning.
“They could have crumbled after that bad inning,” Mushrush said. “But they didn’t.”
Jaydan Baker got the winning rally going with a two-out single before giving way to Arrington, who easily scored on Bendel’s hit.
“Sometimes we don’t click,” Bendel said. “But we have scrappy players.”
Averaging 12 runs per game in its first five, North Port left 10 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the second and fourth innings. Eight Bobcats were stranded in scoring position.
“Tonight was the first night we didn’t get the timely hit when we needed it,” said North Port acting head coach Dave Grandt, filling in for the injured Chelsea Lowy.
Sarasota scored three runs in the first inning on a two-run double by Abby Johns and a RBI single by Hailey Howard, who had two hits. The Sailors added a run in the third on another double by Johns, who knocked in three.
“We’ve got to come out a little better. We were a little flat,” Grandt said. “We need to strike faster. We settled down though.”
It was the third straight one-run game played by the teams, all won by Sarasota. The Sailors took 3-2 and 1-0 victories last year and have won 11 of 12 against the Bobcats all time.
Both teams play North Fort Myers next: North Port at home Thursday and Sarasota at home Monday.
BASEBALL
Riverview 15, Manatee 8
TOP PLAYERS: R, Dylan McDonald 4-5, 2 2B, Landon Marsters 2 hits, Jose Castelo 2 hits, Andrew Rhymestein 2 hits.
PITCHING: R, Will St. Onge 3 IP, hit, 3 runs, 4 Ks
Saint Stephen’s 9, Southeast 8
TOP PLAYERS: SS, Luke Donley 2-2, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI, Daniel Schnur 2-4, run, Ry Jesser 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, Jackson Riffe 1-2, run, 2 RBI; S, Jackson Williams 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, Ryan Huffstutler 2-4, run, RBI, Jose Correa 1-3, 3 RBI
PITCHING: SS, Luke Donley 5 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs, 0 earned, 11 Ks
GIRLS LACROSSE
Riverview, 18, Out-of-Door 7
TOP PLAYERS: R, Susan Lowther 9 goals, assist, 10 draw controls, 4 ground balls, Caroline Steinwachs 4 goals, 2 assists, 5 draw controls, 2 ground balls, Clementine Silver-Schwartz 2 goals, assist, draw control, ground ball)
GOALIE: R, Mia Rey (7 saves, 50%)
RECORD: Riverview 6-4
NEXT: Riverview at Berkeley Prep, 5 p.m. Tuesday
BOYS TENNIS
Venice 5, Cardinal Mooney 2
Singles: Collin Lockhart (CM) d. Joseph Calleja 6-1, 6-2; Grant Burroughs (V) d. PJ Svilokos 6-1, 7-5; Scott Martz (CM) d. Jack Cady 6-2, 6-4; Michael Kringsman (V) d. Rhett Morton 6-3, 6-4; Stephen Akers (V) d. Hunter Fiskness 6-1, 6-0
Doubles: Josh Lim/Evan VanBuskirk (V) d. Lockhart/Svilokos 4-0, 4-1; Simon Ayer/Hayden Guthrie (V) d. Martz/Morton 5-4 (7-4), 4-2
GIRLS TENNIS
Venice 5, Cardinal Mooney 2
Singles: Joy Jia (V) d. Paulina Wilk 6-3, 6-3; Mekenzie DeLong (V) d. Eva Dyer 6-3, 6-4; Ema Chiha (CM) d. Sophia Teijelo 0-6, 7-6 (7-4) (10-4); Leah Woolverton (V) d. Roselynn Wagner 6-2, 6-0; Emma Edlin (V) d. Mischa Doan 6-1, 6-0
Doubles: Wilk/Dyer (CM) d. Tess Tchorbadjiev/DeLong 5-3, 4-1; Deijelo/Woolverton (V) d. Chiha/Wagner 4-0, 4-1
TUESDAY
Sarasota 4, Palmetto 2
SARASOTA − Bernard Barnes Jr. the hitter bailed out Bernard Barnes Jr. the pitcher.
Barnes broke a 2-all deadlock with a two-run single in the fifth inning to propel Sarasota High to a 4-2 victory over Palmetto High on Tuesday at Ronald K. Drews Field.
Struggling offensively, the Sailors (5-0) had one hit going into the fifth inning of a tie game. Cale Krieger reached on an infield single and Rex Smith socked a one-out double to bring Barnes to the plate.
A two-run single up the middle by Barnes helped Barnes the pitcher gain the mound win, with the help of reliever Michael Bendewer.
Bendewer took over for Barnes in the sixth inning and worked in and out of trouble over the final two innings, including recording the final out with the tying run on second base and the potential go-ahead run at first.
“If you throw strikes, play defense and get timely hitting that’s the recipe for winning,” Sarasota first-year coach Greg Mulhollen said.
Barnes threw two perfect strikes to begin the game. But the Tigers (2-3) touched the right-hander for a run in his 35-pitch first inning and added another run in the second inning.
“I couldn’t get it going in the first two innings, obviously, but I figured it out,” Barnes said. “I had to stay on my back side a little longer, some mechanical things. I didn’t let that first inning get to me.”
“He’s one of our horses,” Mulhollen said. “Threw a lot of pitches in the first, settled down, kept them off balance throughout the game. He kept us in it.”
Barnes threw 100 pitches, 61 strikes, during his five-inning stint, but still needed help offensively.
“It means a lot because we’re struggling hitting right now and I know they need me on the mound,” Barnes said.
Sarasota tied the game in the fourth on a hit batter, two walks and Luke Binswanger’s high-chopper that cleared Palmetto 6-foot-3 shortstop Trey Lawrence by a good foot to plate two runs.
“That took the air out of us,” Tigers coach Nolan Lofgren said of the Sailors’ first hit in the game.
Barnes then provided what proved to be the winning blow an inning later.
“That was big,” Barnes said. “I had to step up and be a two-strike hitter for my team. I stayed short and stayed in the middle of the field.”
“Timely hitting in the fifth,” Mulhollen said. “
And Michael Bendever was good out of the bullpen.”
The Tigers struggled all night getting the big hit. They left at least one runner on base in every inning, 12 in all, seven in scoring position.
“We came out and hit the ball and got on base and then all of a sudden we couldn’t get those big two-out hits,” Lofgren said. “We need to believe in ourselves and trust ourselves, which we talked about. “Right now we’re struggling trusting ourselves. Until we do we’re going to keep leaving runners on base.”
Parrish Community 6, Cardinal Mooney 0
TOP PLAYERS: PC, Will Rawls 3 hits, RBI, 2 SB
PITCHING: PC, Keegan Duquette (3 IP, 1 hit, 6 Ks), Troy Guthrie (W, 3 IP, 6 Ks), Will Rawls (1 IP)
NEXT: Parrish Community at Braden River on Friday
Bradenton Christian 10, Sarasota Christian 0, 6 inn
TOP PLAYER: BC, Alex Heintz 4-4, 2B, 2 SB
PITCHING: BC, Alex Heintz 6 IP, 2 hits, 10 Ks
Imagine School at North Port 16, Southeast 1
TOP PLAYER: RJ Cooper 3-3, 3 IP, AJ Hester 4 RBI
SOFTBALL
Parrish Community 6, Lakewood Ranch 1
TOP PLAYERS: PC, Carson Kull 3-4, Julia Girk 2-2, Isa Vega 2-4, 2 RBI, Grace Woodring 2-3, Riley Little 2-3, RBI, Ella Torres 2 RBI
PITCHING: PC, Isa Vega (7 IP, hit, run, 14 Ks)
NEXT: Parrish Community in the Bartow Tournament on Friday
Sarasota 6, Palmetto 3
TOP PLAYERS: S, Speers 2-4, 3B, run, RBI, Bendel 2-4 HR, 2 RBI, run
Lemon Bay 9, Riverview 1
AT: Lemon Bay
TOP PLAYERS: LB, Kinkade 1-2, 2 RBI, run, Jones 1-4, RBI, run, Zalopany 1-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI; R, Lipton 2-4, Bain 2-3
PITCHING: LB, Mills ( 5 IP, 3 hits, 2 walks, 10 Ks)
BOYS LACROSSE
Saint Stephen's 10, IMG Academy 9
AT: Saint Stephen's
TOP PLAYERS: SS, Matt Vara 2 goals, assist, 4 ground balls, Joey Droge 3 goals, ground ball, Justin Millican 4 assists, 5 ground balls, Mason Dillingham 2 goals, James Haley goal, 4 ground balls, Cayden Smith 6 ground balls, Nolan Winterhalter 7 ground balls, Nicholas Pagnotta 9 saves
OF NOTE: Saint Stephen's won in overtime - Joey Droge with the score, assist Justin Millican from James Haley.
RECORDS: Saint Stephen’s 3-0, IMG 5-4
Venice 14, Lakewood Ranch 5
AT: Lakewood Ranch
TOP PLAYERS: V, Jeffrey Alte 7 goals, Kai Miller 2 goals, John Piroli goal, Chris Legos goal, Alex Denley goal, Paul Hovey goal, Tyler Woodend goal, Dane Angelillis 2 assists
BOYS TENNIS
Lemon Bay 6, Sebring 1
Singles: Stevie Ethier (LB) d. Vivek Krishnadas 6-0, 6-0; Hunter Andres (LB) d. Brady Spencer 6-0, 6-1; Billy Rand (LB) d. Sammi Rather 6-0, 6-1; Gray Lowder (LB) d. Ben Pepper 6-1, 6-1; Caleb Hutcherson (LB) d. Giovanni Rae 6-0, 6-0
Doubles: Ethier/Andres (LB) d. Krishnadas 8-4; Rather/Pepper (S) d. Logan McGinto/Hank Causey 8-5
Venice 5, Gulf Coast 2
Singles: Hudson Fry (GC) d. David Siddons 5-3, 5-3; Josh Lim (V) d. Akhil Nimmagadda 6-0, 6-2; Seth Neitlich (V) d. Alex Mazza 6-3, 6-2; Aravind Rajeev (V) d. Paul Barrus 6-2, 6-1; Pablo Viera (GC) d. Pranav Mayor 6-4, 3-6 (10-6)
Doubles: Siddons/Neitlich (V) d. Fry/Barrus 4-2, 14- (10-3); Lim/Evan VanBuskirk (V) d. Nimmagadda/Mazza 5-3, 4-1
Out-of-Door 5, Saint Stephen’s 2
Singles: Andrei Black (SS) d. Levi Felsmann 2-6, 6-3, 10-6; Cash Murphy (ODA) d. Oliver Forrester 4-0, 4-0; Jacob Viera (ODA) d. Matthew Morris (ss) 4-1, 4-2; ODA by forfeit; ODA by Forfeit
Doubles: Matthew Morris/Oliver Forrester (ss) d. Charlie Morton/Jacob Viera 9-8 (9-7); ODA by Forfeit
GIRLS TENNIS
Venice 4, Gulf Coast 3
Singles: Weronika DeLong (V) d. Marchela Rykowski 4-6, 6-0, (10-1); Christine Wu (V) d. Ava Richford 6-0, 6-0; Alexa Taviloglu (GC) d. Joy Jia 6-3, 6-3; Sia Dihenia (GC) d. Sophia Teijelo 6-0, 6-1; Leah Woolverton (V) d. Harmony Nix 6-7 (5-7), 5-4 (5-3), (3-0)
Doubles: Nicole Cierniak/DeLong (V) d. Mia Martin/Rochford 4-1, 4-0; Rykowski/Nix (GC) d. Wu/Tess Tchorbadjiev 1-4, 5-4 (7-4), (10-7)
Lemon Bay 5, Sebring 2
Singles: Parker Zautcke (LB) d. Jacqueline Lackey 6-2, 6-2; Reagan Lenihan (S) d. Rosey Lowder 7-6 (7-4), 7-5; Avery Shirley (LB) d. Haley Waltman 6-0, 6-2; Alaina Maday (LB) d. Kim Pham 6-2, 6-3; Mercedes Roesler (LB) d. Jalia Charlery 6-0, 6-0
Doubles: Lacker/Lenihan (S) d. Zautcke/Lowder 9-8 (10-7); Shirley/Maday (LB) d. Waltman/Myhre 8-4
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Cardinal Mooney 5 Springstead 0
Cardinal Mooney results: Gracie Page / Sawyer DeYoung: 21-5, 21-7, Helena Hebda / Madeline Carson: 21-3, 21-0, Kate Montesano / Riley Greene: 21-6, 21-0, Izzy Russell / Katie Powers: 21-5, 21-12, Layla Larrick / Violet Weiser: 21-0, 21-5, Madi Robinson / Piper Carson: 21-2, 21-1
Cardinal Mooney 5, Bishop McLaughlin 0
Cardinal Mooney results: Gracie Page / Sawyer DeYoung: 21-16, 21-11, Helena Hebda / Madeline Carson: 21-17, 21-2, Kate Montesano / Riley Greene: 21-7, 21-5, Izzy Russell / Katie Powers: 21-9, 21-6 ,Layla Larrick / Violet Weiser: 21-13, 21-11, Madi Robinson / Piper Carson: 21-0, 21-4, Ella Shuel / Julia Haller: 21-1, 21-4, Violet Weiser / Sophia Vance: 21-5, 21-2
Record: Cardinal Mooney 3-0
GIRLS LACROSSE
Saint Stephen's 19, St. Petersburg Catholic 7
TOP PLAYERS: SS, Sienna Cassella 4 goals 2 assists 5 ground balls 5 draw controls 4 caused turnovers, Haley Rosa 5 goals 5 draw controls, Bella Rosa 5 goals 1 assist 3 draw controls, Ashling Marshall 4 goals 3 assists 2 ground balls 5 draw controls 2 caused turnovers, Annesley Flint 8 saves on 15 shots
NEXT: Saint Stephen’s at Manatee 7:30 p.m. Thursday
BASEBALL
Venice 3, Braden River 1
VENICE − As he waits for his young hitters to find their stroke, Craig Faulkner certainly likes what his Venice High pitching staff is doing.
Four pitchers combined on a six-hitter as Venice held off a late charge by Braden River High, 3-1, Monday night.
Prior to the game Faulkner received a plaque for winning his 500th game earlier this season.
Against the Pirates, Faulkner trotted out the same two pitchers who combined for a no-hitter in the season-opening win over St. John Neumann along with two other hurlers.
Sophomore Jobe Fish (3 innings, 2 hits, 4 strikeouts), freshman Carter Cox (1 ⅓ innings, hit, 3 strikeouts), junior Simon Yochum (2 ⅓ perfect innings, 3 strikeouts) and senior Peter Liakakos (⅓ inning, 3 hits, run, strikeout) gave Venice (3-3) what it needed.
“Their pitchers were on point today,” Braden River coach Greg Creek said. “We found a way to battle at the end and squeeze one across. We were one hit away from tying it up.”
Down to their last out, the Pirates (4-2) got a double from pitch-hitter Kendry Alonso, a run-scoring single from Rhys Klein, a single from Lexman Pirela Madrez to chase Klein to third. Pirela Madrez went to second on a wild pitch before Liakokos got a strikeout to end the game.
“We just couldn’t get it done early in the game,” Creek said. “They were hitting their spots and making two-strike pitches that were on the corners.”
Venice scratched across two runs in the second inning on a run-scoring double by Jon Embury and a sacrifice fly by Trent Adrain. It added another in the fifth when Jeremiah Pichota walked, stole second and scored on an error.
“It’s going to take a while for it to come around,” Faulkner said of the hitting. “The pitching is a little bit ahead of the hitting right now. We’re still trying to get some bunts down. We haven’t been successful at that yet. It’s gonna come.”
With two more games this week - Thursday at Sarasota High and Friday at home against defending state champion Island Coast - Faulkner wanted to keep his pitchers on a short leash so they possibly could return later in the week.
Sarasota 2, Charlotte 0
AT: Charlotte
TOP PLAYERS: S, Rocco DePastino 2-3; Bernard Barnes 1-3, 2B; Luke Binswanger 1-3; Taylor Crump (WP, 2-0) 7 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 10 strikeouts
RECORDS: Sarasota 4-0, Charlotte 2-4
NEXT: Sarasota hosts Palmetto, Tuesday, 7 p.m.; Charlotte hosts Imagine School at North Port, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
SOFTBALL
North Port 22, Island Coast 0
AT: Island Coast
TOP PLAYERS: NP, Jewlie Vanderkous 4-4, 3 RBI; Kaitlin Kohlenberg 3-3, 2 RBI; Konstantine Belgrade 2-3, 3 RBI; Cailinne Kelly 4-4, 4 RBI; Amiyah O'Neil 2-3, 2 RBI; Taysia Stevens 1-1, RBI; Payson Rumley 1-3, RBI; Jewlie Vanderkous (WP) 3 IP, 0 hits, 7 strikeouts. Game stopped after 3 innings to mercy rule.
RECORD: North Port 4-1
NEXT: North Port at Sarasota, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Sarasota 2, Inspiration Academy 1
AT: Sarasota
TOP PLAYERS: S, Brooke Bendel 2-3, 2 RBI; Ryleigh Bennett (WP) 7 IP, 6 hits, 1 run, 4 strikeouts
RECORD: Sarasota 3-1
NEXT: Sarasota at Palmetto, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: High school roundup (March 6-11): Venice baseball wins in 10 innings
