PLANT CITY -- The impetus for Pembroke Pines Charter was on finishing quickly and getting out of Plant City Stadium as early as possible.

Not that the Jaguars did not enjoy their visit. They certainly did with a 12-1, five-inning shellacking of Glen St. Mary Baker County in a Class 4A FHSAA state semifinal.

Friday night, however, was the school's prom, and many of the players embarked on a three-hour drive to Coral Springs after the game and will make the return drive early Saturday morning after the dance's conclusion to play the Naples/Groveland South Lake winner at 1 p.m. for the 4A title.

Despite the hectic travel schedule, Pines Charter coach Tom Fadul was not worried.

''They'll be focused,'' said Fadul, whose team improved to 30-0 and is ranked first in the nation by USA Today. ``They'll be ready to play.

`` . . . I haven't heard one word about the prom [Thursday] at practice or on the ride up. I didn't hear nothing about the prom [Friday]. I was the first one who brought it up.''

The players, who will be driven by various parents, showered before they departed. They did their hair and makeup and changed into dresses during the ride.

Junior Lauren Sewell did her best to expedite the trip. She struck out 13 and faced five batters over the minimum.

Sewell retired the Wildcats in order three times, and she struck out the side on nine pitches in the first inning.

''I was keeping them off balance,'' said Sewell, who improved to 15-0. ``I was going in and out. Then I was going high with the rise ball. If I went in, they would back off the plate. Then I would go outside. I was just mixing up the pitches.''

Pines Charter scored in every inning. Kandyce Redondo had an RBI double, and Audrey Broyles had an RBI single in a two-run first. Cassie Sigler drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second.

Broyles scored on an error in the third, and the Jaguars scored on a sacrifice fly by Britanie Block and a squeeze by Brianna Chierico.

Block drew a bases-loaded walk to score another run in the fourth and added a two-run single in the fifth. Pines Charter also got a two-run single by Britney Pugh and an RBI single by Sewell in the fifth.

The victory moved the Jaguars one step closer to a mythical national championship after tournament victories earlier in Kissimmee and Orange County, Calif.

The nation's top ranking ''pumps us up even more to want to beat the team even more,'' Sewell said. ``Everybody wants to beat us because we're the undefeated team. It makes us play harder.''

Broyles said: ``We know we're the team to beat. We know we have to show ourselves and prove that we're the No. 1 in the nation and play like the No. 1 team.''

Pembroke Pines Charter 213 15--12 10 0 Baker County 000 01-- 1 3 4 WP: Lauren Sewell (15-0). LP: Tiffany Smith (10-2). Records: PPC 30-0, BC 22-4.

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