American Heritage wins state 3A softball title

PHIL SEARS / SPECIAL TO THE MIAMI HERALD American Heritage's Amanda Lonergan (22) hoists teammate Amanda Penon (55) as she holds the Class 3A state girls' softball championship trophy after the Patriots beat McKeel Academy 12-2 in six innings Tuesday, May 6, 2008, in Plant City, Fla.

Melissa King slid into third base in the sixth inning and looked toward the American Heritage dugout.

Her teammates rushed the Plant City Stadium field and embraced King at third.

Seconds earlier, King, a senior, laced a bases-loaded triple to right field to bring a mercy-ruled end to a 12-2 victory over Lakeland McKeel Academy to win the Class 3A state championship.

''[It] was a rush of emotion, excitement,'' King said. ``I was really proud of our team. We really became a family out there all through the year. We went through a lot of things together, and we really pulled through as a team.''

It was the third title in five years for American Heritage, which won championships in 2004 and 2005.

''I think it shows a lot for our school,'' American Heritage coach Marty Cooper said. ``Not only is it an academic institution, it also values athletics. We have a tremendous amount of support from Mr. [Bill] Laurie and coach [Byron] Walker, our athletic director, to provide the things we need to be successful.''

American Heritage (21-10) got its first hit in the third, when King led off with a single to right. King was awarded second because of runner interference by first baseman Samantha Rydzik.

Tianna Strasser walked and Beth Peller reached on a bunt to load the bases. After a pop-up by Chelsea Howell and a long fly out by Bailey Castro, Brittany Propri doubled over left fielder Alex George's head to score two runs. Amanda Lonergan followed with an RBI single to left to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead.

The Patriots, who finished the season with a 10-game winning streak after a 5-10 stretch in the middle of the year, added to the lead in the fourth. Sasha Horton led off with a single to left and took second on a sacrifice bunt by King.

''They had some people on base and they challenged many innings,'' Cooper said. ``I felt that game could have gone either way until we got some timely hits with people on base, and that blew it open.''

Strasser reached on a fielder's choice when third baseman Emily Kennelly was unable to tag Horton out at third. Strasser tried to take second but was caught in a rundown, which allowed Horton to score.

Heritage continued to build on its lead in the fifth, when third baseman Bailey Castro hit her second two-run home run in as many days -- this time to center field -- for a 6-0 lead.

The Patriots kept scoring in the fifth. Propri walked and Soltis and Horton singled to load the bases. King doubled to center to drive in three runs for a 9-0 lead.

The Wildcats got out of the inning when Cheyenne Benson struck out pinch hitter Shaena Coffey.

McKeel (17-14) scored twice in the top of the sixth.

But King laced a triple to right to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth to give the Patriots a 10-run lead and end the contest because of the mercy rule.

Heritage starting pitcher Aimee Chapdelaine got in trouble in the second after Brandi Barnett led off with a single to right and Benson reached on a walk.

But Chapdelaine worked out of the situation with strikeouts of Jessica Griffin and Rydzik sandwiched around a pop out by Casey Jones.

Chapdelaine again escaped trouble in the third after she allowed back-to-back singles with two outs. But she got Barnett to pop out.

McKeel Academy 000 002-- 2 10 0 American Heritage 003 153--12 13 1 WP: Aimee Chapdelaine (14-6). LP: Cheyenne Benson (15-14). Sv: Rebekah Kiser (5). Records: AH 21-10, MKA 17-14.