jeffpatterson
04-16-2008, 09:46 PM
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Woodside pitcher Gabby Andino got the win against Warwick on Wednesday. Photo by Rob Ostermaier/Daily Press
‘Amazing’ zero hero
Sophomore Gabby Andino pitches yet another shutout as Peninsula leader Woodside stays undefeated.
By DAVE JOHNSON | djohnson@dailypress.com | 247-4649
NEWPORT NEWS — With the roll Gabby Andino has been on, Woodside coach Mike Tallon keeps hearing the same old question: Why the heck didn’t he pitch her more last year?
The simple answer, Tallon tells everybody, is that Andino was a freshman who wasn’t ready to carry the load. But now, as a sophomore, she clearly is.
In blanking Warwick 1-0 Wednesday afternoon at Woodside, Andino threw her seventh consecutive shutout to start the season. She hasn’t given up a run — earned or otherwise — in 42 innings.
“She’s a sophomore who has only been pitching two years,” Tallon marveled. “She’s still raw, but the difference in her between last year and this year is amazing.”
Amazing pretty much covers Andino’s start. She held Warwick, arguably the best offensive team in the Peninsula District, to five hits. The Raiders (6-3 overall, 6-2 district) put some pressure on her early but stranded four runners through three innings. Andino got out of another jam in the sixth with a double play.
Woodside (7-0), a team most figured to be a year away from title contention, remains the only unbeaten team in the district. And Andino’s remarkable run is a big reason.
“Coach Tallon tells us all the time how defense wins games,” she said. “If you play defense and put some balls in play on offense, you’re going to win some games.”
After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, the Wolverines got the only run they would need in the second. With Lauren Sepulveda at first base and two out, Tallon called for her to steal second. The throw wasn’t close, and Woodside had a runner in scoring position for leadoff hitter Kristie Hoeffer.
“They didn’t expect it,” Tallon said. “You expect certain people to steal, but we’ll send anybody. It doesn’t matter. When you’re not hitting the ball, you have to try something else.”
Hoeffer then looped a hit just between the shortstop and center fielder, allowing Sepulveda to score what turned out to be the game’s only run.
“I didn’t think the ball would get out there,” Hoeffer said. “That surprised me.”
Woodside had other chances to create a cushion, but Warwick’s Travonna Byrd kept shutting the door. Byrd, who was hit in the ribs by an errant throw from a Woodside fielder prior to batting in the first inning, held the Wolverines to three hits and struck out 12.
“She pitched pretty good,” Warwick coach Jimmy Dawson said. “We knew it would be a tight game. Woodside’s an up-and-coming team, and that was the best I’ve seen (Andino) pitch.”
WOODSIDE 1, WARWICK 0
Warwick 000 000 0 — 0 5 0
Woodside 010 000 x — 1 3 0
WP — Andino (7-0). LP — Byrd (6-3). Standouts — Warwick, Ward 2-3, Atkins 2-2, Byrd 12 strikeouts; Woodside, Hale 2-3. Records — Warwick 6-3, 6-2 Peninsula District; Woodside 7-0, 7-0.
Woodside pitcher Gabby Andino got the win against Warwick on Wednesday. Photo by Rob Ostermaier/Daily Press
‘Amazing’ zero hero
Sophomore Gabby Andino pitches yet another shutout as Peninsula leader Woodside stays undefeated.
By DAVE JOHNSON | djohnson@dailypress.com | 247-4649
NEWPORT NEWS — With the roll Gabby Andino has been on, Woodside coach Mike Tallon keeps hearing the same old question: Why the heck didn’t he pitch her more last year?
The simple answer, Tallon tells everybody, is that Andino was a freshman who wasn’t ready to carry the load. But now, as a sophomore, she clearly is.
In blanking Warwick 1-0 Wednesday afternoon at Woodside, Andino threw her seventh consecutive shutout to start the season. She hasn’t given up a run — earned or otherwise — in 42 innings.
“She’s a sophomore who has only been pitching two years,” Tallon marveled. “She’s still raw, but the difference in her between last year and this year is amazing.”
Amazing pretty much covers Andino’s start. She held Warwick, arguably the best offensive team in the Peninsula District, to five hits. The Raiders (6-3 overall, 6-2 district) put some pressure on her early but stranded four runners through three innings. Andino got out of another jam in the sixth with a double play.
Woodside (7-0), a team most figured to be a year away from title contention, remains the only unbeaten team in the district. And Andino’s remarkable run is a big reason.
“Coach Tallon tells us all the time how defense wins games,” she said. “If you play defense and put some balls in play on offense, you’re going to win some games.”
After leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, the Wolverines got the only run they would need in the second. With Lauren Sepulveda at first base and two out, Tallon called for her to steal second. The throw wasn’t close, and Woodside had a runner in scoring position for leadoff hitter Kristie Hoeffer.
“They didn’t expect it,” Tallon said. “You expect certain people to steal, but we’ll send anybody. It doesn’t matter. When you’re not hitting the ball, you have to try something else.”
Hoeffer then looped a hit just between the shortstop and center fielder, allowing Sepulveda to score what turned out to be the game’s only run.
“I didn’t think the ball would get out there,” Hoeffer said. “That surprised me.”
Woodside had other chances to create a cushion, but Warwick’s Travonna Byrd kept shutting the door. Byrd, who was hit in the ribs by an errant throw from a Woodside fielder prior to batting in the first inning, held the Wolverines to three hits and struck out 12.
“She pitched pretty good,” Warwick coach Jimmy Dawson said. “We knew it would be a tight game. Woodside’s an up-and-coming team, and that was the best I’ve seen (Andino) pitch.”
WOODSIDE 1, WARWICK 0
Warwick 000 000 0 — 0 5 0
Woodside 010 000 x — 1 3 0
WP — Andino (7-0). LP — Byrd (6-3). Standouts — Warwick, Ward 2-3, Atkins 2-2, Byrd 12 strikeouts; Woodside, Hale 2-3. Records — Warwick 6-3, 6-2 Peninsula District; Woodside 7-0, 7-0.