With Hernando County schools reaching spring break this week, the high school baseball season is roughly at its halfway point.
All five county public schools, four of which will be hosting the Farm Bureau Insurance High School Baseball Classic on Monday through Friday of this week, enter the break with winning records.
Weeki Wachee joined the group by winning three games to improve to 7-6 overall. The Hornets’ ace Jack Strong had his finest outing of the season on Friday, tossing a complete game in a 3-1 win over Pasco, striking out 15 over seven innings giving up one run on three hits and a walk. Christian Zahora went 3 for 3 with a double and a run.
Strong was also 2 for 4 in all three games his team played last week. That included a 5-3 victory over Citrus in nine innings on March 11 in which Saul Melendez went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI while Zahora was 2 for 4 with a double, two runs and two RBI.
The Hornets topped Land O’ Lakes 6-3 the next day. Jayden Allen drove in two runs, Melendez went 2 for 4 with a run, and J.D. Sammons threw a complete game giving up three runs (one earned) in seven innings.
Nature Coast went 2-0 on the week to sit at 9-3, besting Cypress Creek 6-4 on March 12, with Jackon Hoyt, Joe Rozsa and Mario DeAngelis each collecting two hits. Hoyt had an RBI, and the University of Florida signee struck out 12 in 5 1/3 innings.
On March 13, the Sharks blew out Hudson 14-0. Bryce Hewell was 3 for 3 with two runs and two RBI, Joey Vancleave went 1 for 3 with two runs and three RBI, and DeAngelis was 1 for 3 with three runs and two RBI.
Central likewise had a 2-0 week to improve to 8-4. In the Bears’ 2-1 win over Hudson on March 11, senior Ryan Engley threw a complete game one-hitter, striking out 10 in seven innings against two walks while giving up an unearned run. He also had a hit and an RBI, as did Jordan Lendo. Tristan King went 2 for 4 with a run scored.
The Bears pounded Fivay 13-0 last Friday, with Engley recording a double, two runs and two RBI. King was 2 for 3 with a double, a run and an RBI, while Talyn Poole went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI, and Korbin Baskind finished 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI. Jordan Lendo, Noah Sanchez and Robert Weir threw a combined no-hitter in a game shortened to five innings, and the trio struck out 11.
Hernando dropped both its games this week, 8-6 in nine innings on March 13 and 8-0 at Lakeland last Friday, but the Leopards are still 8-4. Springstead (9-3) lost 10-0 at Wesley Chapel on March 13 in its only game of the week.
In softball, Springstead ended the week at 6-2 with its win over Hernando on Friday. On March 11, the Eagles beat visiting Citrus 14-4 with Kaylana Lyons driving in a team-best three runs while going 2 for 3 with a run scored. Ava Miller was 2 for 2 with two runs and two RBI, Rachel Rivera was 2 for 2 with a triple and four runs, Lillyanna Day had a double and two RBI, and Ella Ann Cephus had a triple and two RBI. Alivia Miller struck out 10 in five innings.
Nature Coast routed Fivay 12-2 on March 12 to move to 6-4 overall. Haley Keane had two doubles and two RBI, while Kassie Figueroa had two hits including a double and two RBI. Miranda Wiemer added two hits and two RBI, and Caitlin Corrigan, Athena Brown and Izzy Miller had two hits and an RBI. Miller also struck out 11 in five innings, giving up two runs.
Weeki Wachee inched close to .500 at 5-6, winning all three of its games last week. Austyn Childs went 2 for 4 with a triple, a run and four RBI in a 16-4 victory over Central on March 11. Jayden Russo was 3 for 5 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI. Reegan Miller went 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBI. Hailey Tarner and Juliana Gray were both 3 for 5 with a double and an RBI.
The Hornets then won 7-4 over Gulf on March 12, behind Tarner going 3 for 4 with a double, a run and an RBI, and Miller was 3 for 4 with a triple, two runs and an RBI. Lilly Connell drove in two runs.
On March 13, Gray was 2 for 3 with two doubles, three runs and an RBI, and Alvalyn Crisp chipped in two RBI in a 9-1 win at Seven Rivers Christian.
The Hernando High flag football team collected three wins by a combined 87-7 last week and are 6-1 overall. On March 10, Carlie Grant completed 17 of 19 for 241 yards and had three touchdowns and three interceptions in a 20-7 victory at Nature Coast. Kenderlyn Hart caught seven passes for 100 yards and hauled in three touchdowns.
On March 12, Hernando beat Crystal River 40-0. Grant was 12 of 22 for 141 yards and threw for two touchdowns, with Hart totaling nine receptions for 83 yards with one receiving touchdown. Aajyrah Adams had three interceptions to lead the defense.
Grant completed 10 of 22 passes for 126 yards with two touchdowns against one interception in a 27-0 win on March 13 over Seven Rivers. Keyasia Gaines had two interceptions for the Leopards.
