Heritage, St. Thomas, Oxbridge earn Slamfest wins
PALMETTO BAY — American Heritage senior third baseman and Florida signee Hannah Sipos led off the Patriots’ Slamfest tournament game against Charlotte by dropping down a bunt for a hit, stealing second and coming around to score — all in no more than two minutes’ worth of action.
It spring-boarded Heritage to a 7-4 win. The Patriots, along with St. Thomas Aquinas and Oxbridge Academy, were among area teams to earn victories on Friday at Slamfest, a premier South Florida softball tournament hosted annually by Miami Gulliver Prep at Palmetto Bay Park.
“She’s a very good bunter, so any chance she gets where the corners are playing 60-plus [feet away], she’s going to put it down,” American Heritage coach Marty Cooper said of Sipos. “And then she’s quick enough to steal also — just a solid ballplayer.”
Sipos’ quick first run catapulted a Patriots (9-2) offense, which entered struggling to score runs, that had six different batters with an RBI, including Marisa Soterakis, who hit a two-run double.
“In the past couple of games, we haven’t done a great job at the plate,” Cooper said. “Today, we did a better job of moving runners, getting people in scoring position and timely hitting.”
Freshman Molly Mason started and earned the win while Katherine Rodriguez and Amelia Saviskas finished it off in relief, Saviskas earning the save.
St. Thomas
St. Thomas Aquinas was impressive in a pair of fiveinning, run-rule victories over Southwest Florida opponents earlier Friday.
The Raiders took down Fort Myers Bishop Verot, 15-2, and then won against Naples Barron Collier, 14-4.
Senior starter Gabriella Nori struck out 10 and gave up four hits in her complete game effort against Verot, ranked No. 5 in Class 4A by the Miracle Sports state rankings. Junior Kaitlin King earned the win against Barron Collier.
Junior infielder Meagan Patterson homered in each contest, combining to go 5-for-8 in the two games with two doubles and eight RBI. Her three-run homer catapulted St. Thomas (10-1) in a nine-run third inning against Barron Collier.
Kristen Sacca was 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and four RBI against Verot.
“I like our attitude. I like the way we’re playing. I like our aggressiveness on the basepaths,” St. Thomas coach Bryan Baucom said. “Defensively, we’re communicating a lot better with each other and our approach to hitting has been really good so far this year.”
Eight-run fifth
Oxbridge Academy run ruled LaBelle, 11-0, thanks to an eight-run fifth inning.
Josie Foreman went 2-for-3 with a triple and a pair of RBI. Caridad Estes, Lia Love and Christian Glenn also drove in two runs apiece for the Thun-derWolves (10-3).
Freshman pitcher Jenna Whipple struck out eight in a complete game.
Quick hits
King’s Academy, behind a complete game shutout from junior Jordan Winters, beat Marathon 5-0 and then lost to Immokalee 6-0. Hannah Federico went 3-for-4 in each game for the Lions (9-3).
Palm Beach Gardens (8-5) dropped an 8-1 decision to defending Class 7A state champ Fort Myers. Haley Hoffman homered for the Gators’ lone run.
The Slamfest tournament altered its format this year. Instead of playing elimination rounds after pool play and crowning a champion, every team is guaranteed four games and teams that go unbeaten earn a plaque.