PORT ORANGE — University pitcher Madi McCormick allowed only three hits, but top-seeded Spruce Creek found a way to beat the No. 3 Titans 2-0 in the Five Star Conference softball final on April 16 for its third consecutive title.
The freshman lefty was perfect through three innings before the Hawks’ junior shortstop, Keylee Gerhardt, broke it with a single to center field to begin the bottom of the fourth. McCormick retired the rest of the side to preserve the 0-0 tie.
“I mean, I think through five (innings), she’d only given up one hit, five strikeouts, no walks,” University coach Daniel Gaumont said. “What more could you ask from your freshman pitcher?”
But it was the bottom of the sixth that would be the decider courtesy of Aiyana and Keylee Gerhardt.
Aiyana Gerhardt singled to left field to begin the inning and advanced to second base on a bunt from Cianna Kramer. Then up came Keylee, who had the only other Spruce Creek hit to that point.
With one out, Keylee sent a fly ball to deep right-center field. University misjudged it, and it ended up as a triple, allowing Aiyana to score from second base. Keylee scored on the very next pitch after McCormick’s toss passed catcher Nina Rios-Cruz to the cage.
“It was an outside pitch, I just took it back side. The girl didn’t read it right, I don’t know what really happened there, but I took advantage of it,” Keylee Gerhardt said. “Luckily, my teammate before me got on, so she scored. I got third and then another passed ball scored me.”
Addison Fuster, who pitched a hitless final three innings, retired University with three consecutive outs to win the title. Reese Cianciarulo pitched the first four innings of the combined shutout.
The shutout was in danger in the top of the fourth from a Titan two-out rally. After retiring University’s first two batters, Hayden Nichols, Baylie Howard and McCormick recorded consecutive singles off Cianciarulo.
Andie Marella lined out to right field to end the threat still knotted at 0.
“We have pitchers that induce lots of ground balls,” Spruce Creek coach Cameron McClelland said. “So if one squirts through, we know the next one, we’re gonna get dirty and keep it in the infield. And that’s what we do, that’s what we’re used to.”
The Hawks, the No. 37 team in the FHSAA rankings, also beat the Titans in the preseason and 10-8 in their season opener.
“It’s always a great rivalry with University, and we played back on February 17. That was two months ago,” McClelland said. “It’s been a while. They’ve gone through a tough schedule and have had a great season so far … And for a trophy on the line, the scoreboard’s lit up, I know we’re both fighting to win, so I knew it would be good.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Spruce Creek wins 3rd straight Five Star Conference softball title
Reporting by Zach Allen, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
