Dunne strikes out 38!
Hawk sets state record in 17-inning marathon
By BRIAN MCLAUGHLIN
Prep Editor
PORT ORANGE -- Game-winning hit in a huge regional softball game, or state record for strikeouts -- what will Kelsi Dunne remember the best?
Dunne and her Spruce Creek softball teammates survived a grueling 17-inning, three-hour and 32-minute regional semifinal-round game, knocking off Lake Mary 1-0 on Friday. In the win, Dunne struck out an individual game state record 38 batters, bettering the effort of former Niceville pitcher Kayla Collins, who struck out 35 in a game in 2004, and now pitches for Florida State.
The national record for strikeouts in an extra-inning game is 61 by Alicia Hollowell of Fairfield (Calif.) in 30 innings in 2001.
But it was Dunne's game-winning RBI to score Amanda Lawrence that Spruce Creek will remember the best. It broke an excruciating scoreless tie that seemed like it might not end until next July. Now, the Hawks (24-4) move on to Tuesday's regional championship round, where they'll travel to Sanford Seminole (23-7) -- which knocked off Deltona in extra innings.
This is the first time a Spruce Creek softball team has made it this far in the playoffs.
The 17th inning began with Lawrence's clean single. Rochelle Kellar bunted to Lake Mary sophomore pitcher Hope Bitzer -- who threw wildly to the first baseman. Lawrence made it to third on the error, and Kellar eventually stole second base. After JoJo Shields popped up, Dunne laced a clean double to the right centerfield gap -- scoring Lawrence.
Until then, getting a run seemed improbable. Both pitchers were on top of their game, with Dunne holding a no-hitter until the 15th inning -- when she gave up her lone hit to Lake Mary catcher Ashley Frost. Bitzer was also impressive, striking out 17 batters while allowing nine hits. Dunne's shutout was her 23rd of the season.
Dunne also joined an exclusive group when she struck out her 400th batter of the season during the regional game. Only four girls in state history have done it, and now Dunne is third on the record list with 423 this season.
Also, in a scene reminscent of the movie Bull Durham, the sprinkler system came shooting on during the 15th inning, timed perfectly to come on at 10:30 p.m. -- which normally wouldn't be a problem, as most games would have been over an hour prior. School officials promptly turned them off and action resumed.
For Creek, Lawrence finished the game 2-for-4 with two walks and a sacrifice, Dunne finished 4-for-8 with the game-winning RBI, and Shields managed two hits.
