PREP ROUNDUP: Vega pitches, hits Parrish Community to regional win

PARRISH — When the sun set, the Parrish Community High softball bats came alive.

Held to two hits and no runs during the first five innings, the Bulls erupted for three hits and the only run of the game in the sixth inning as a majestic sun set beyond the center field fence during Parrish's 1-0 victory over Tampa Catholic in a Class 3A regional quarterfinal game Wednesday night at Parrish Community High.

“Generally we play better when the sun goes down,” Parrish Community coach Erin Spivey said. “I was like I really need this sun to go down because we just do better. It’s the truth.”

Isabella “Isa” Vega then completed her no-hitter in the top of the seventh to cap the Bulls’ historic first regional victory.

Along with the sun setting, it also helped Parrish Community had the top of its order up in the sixth.

Leadoff hitter Carsyn Kull beat out an infield hit to the right side. The next hitter, Grace Cristani, could not get a bunt down, but did her job with a two-strike grounder to third that advanced Kull to second base on the fielder’s choice.

Ella Romano stroked a single to left-center field, putting runners at the corners.

The eighth-seeded Crusaders (11-10) elected to walk cleanup hitter Grace Woodring to load the bases, bringing Vega to the plate.

Helping her own cause, Vega lined a gapper to right-center field to score Kull with the first and only run of the game against junior right-hander Angelina Ricciardi, who worked both sides of the plate well.

“It was an outside pitch,” Vega said. “I was trying to go to right field, even if it was a grounder or popup, something she could score on. It took a little pressure off knowing we had that one run.”

Vega finished her gem by striking out the side in the seventh inning, giving the junior right-hander 13 strikeouts in the game.

Technically, she retired the final 21 hitters after the Bulls made an error on the Crusaders’ first batter of the game.

Vega’s strikeouts came in clumps — she got six straight from the first inning to the third, the final two in the fourth and the last five hitters of the game.

Neither Vega nor Spivey knew how many no-hitters Vega has thrown this season but she definitely has one they will remember.

“Isa can turn it on when she really wants to turn it on,” Spivey said. “So when she feels she has to, she absolutely will. She picked a heck of a game.”

Top-seeded Parrish Community (24-3) will play Clearwater Calvary Christian, an 11-3 winner over Frostproof, in the semifinal round 7 p.m. Tuesday. The Bulls defeated the Warriors, 2-1, in the district final May 5.

Parrish takeaways

• The rise ball was working well for Vega, who got many of her strikeouts on pitches around the eyes of the Crusaders’ hitters. “That’s one of my go-to pitches. I trust that one,” Vega said.

• Vega did not hit for her travel ball team but when she came to Parrish Community, Spivey asked her if she wanted to hit. Vega said, “I love to hit.” Vega started the season in the lower third of the Bulls’ batting order but has since moved up to fifth. “I started using her in a game,” Spivey said of Vega, who is hitting just below .300. “She can read pitches well. She comes out of the box and she knows the sequence they threw to her. She can tell the other kids what she was throwing.” Call it pitcher’s instinct.

• Before the game the Bulls didn't appear to be nervous. The players were dancing to the pregame music and generally having a good time. “We’re just so young,” Spivey said. “They’re a lot of fun because they are so young. They don’t know any better. They love to have fun.”

• The Bulls are ranked 11th in Florida and second in Class 3A behind Coral Springs Charter according to MaxPreps and eighth in the FHSAA power rankings. Parrish has won nine straight and 11 of its last 12 games. The longest winning streak in program history is 11 to start this season.

CLASS 1A STATE TRACK AND FIELD

ODA's McWilliam wins state title

GAINESVILLE — Out-of-Door Academy senior Tristan McWilliam capped his brilliant career with a first-place finish and a third at the FHSAA Class 1A State Track and Field Championships Wednesday at the University of Florida’s Percy Beard Track.

McWilliam won the 1,600-meter run in 4 minutes, 17.97 seconds and was third in the 800-meter run (1:56.43).

All six area boys competing in the 1A meet finished among the top eight and received a medal, including Bradenton Christian’s Josiah Daniels, who was runner-up in the triple jump with a leap of 45 feet, ¼ inch.

On the girls side, the Panthers’ Silia Matelau grabbed second place in the discus with a heave of 118-9. She was one of two area girls to medal along with Cardinal Mooney's Madeline Carson (sixth, 107-10) and the Mooney 4x400 relay team (sixth) and the Saint Stephen’s 4x100 relay team (eighth).

AREA PARTICIPANTS

Class 1A boys — 1. Tristan McWilliam, Out-of-Door Academy, 1,600, 4:17.97; 2. Josiah Daniels, Bradenton Christian School, triple jump, 45-0 1/4; 3. Tristan McWilliam, Out-of-Door, 800, 1:56.43; 6. Tyler Beck, Out-of-Door, pole vault, 13-3½; 7. Cameron Desrochers, Bradenton Christian, 110 hurdles, 15.54; 8. Cooper Flerlage, Cardinal Mooney Catholic, discus, 136-10.

Class 1A girls — 2. Silia Matelau, Bradenton Christian School, discus, 118-9; 6. Madeline Carson, Cardinal Mooney Catholic, discus, 107-10; 6. Cardinal Mooney, 4x400 relay, 4:10.23; 8. Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School, 4x100 relay, 50.45; 10. (tie) Charis Johnson, Bradenton Christian, high jump, 4-113/4; 10. Niecey Johnson, Bradenton Christian, 100 hurdles 16.42; 12. Mckayla Cantrell, Cardinal Mooney, discus 97-11; 12. Layla Smith, Saint Stephen’s, 100 hurdles 16.63; 13. Katy Fulton, Out-of-Door, 200, 25.88; 14. Niecey Johnson, Bradenton Christian, 300 hurdles, 48.70; 15. Caroline Teto, Cardinal Mooney, pole vault, 8-4¼; 18. Mckayla Cantrell, Cardinal Mooney, shot put, 30-3½.

BASEBALL

CLASS 4A REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL

Parrish Community 9,
Nature Coast Tech 6

AT: Nature Coast Tech High, Brooksville.

TOP PLAYERS: PC, Calin Heath (2 hits, 2 SB), Carson Allison (2 hits), Eloy Serrata (2 hits, 2 SB), Ayden Hingel (2 hits).

PITCHING: Troy Guthrie (3.1IP, 2H, R, BB, 2K), Noah Eatman (2.1IP, 1H, BB, 5K).

OF NOTE: After scoring two runs in the first inning, Parrish Community surrendered six runs in the second inning. ... The Bulls scored five runs in the fifth, taking the lead on a two-run single by Ayden Hingel. ... The Bulls added two more in the seventh on a Eloy Serrata single and a Jack Nilsson bunt single.

NEXT: Parrish Community at Dunedin in the regional semifinal.

SOFTBALL

CLASS 2A REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL

Seffner Christian 6,
Bradenton Christian 2

Dennis Maffezzoli is the deputy sports editor for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and chief reporter for Sarasota Herald-Tribune and HTpreps covering Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. Support local journalism by subscribing.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: PREP ROUNDUP: Vega pitches, hits Parrish Community to regional win