By Marshall Tempest
Reporter
The Apopka softball team continued its dominant run by defeating the West Orange Warriors 15-0 on Friday, Feb. 28, followed by a victory lap at Twistee Treat.
The team was 3-0 on the season as of Monday, March 3, and had three matchups this week. The Blue Darters started with an away game against Eustis on Wednesday, March 5, which they lost 14-10, followed by an away game with Ocoee on Thursday, March 6, after press time. They are also scheduled for a home game on Friday, March 7, but the game will be moved because the softball field renovation was not completed on time.
Apopka vs. West Orange (15-0) Win
Head coach Mike MacWithey was proud of his team after the massive win over West Orange. The score may not show it, but West Orange has been a perennial playoff and state championship team with two softball state championships and one runner-up finish in the last 10 years.
The first inning was the only inning that mattered as the Blue Darters brought in 13 runs and almost went through the batting lineup twice. It seemed like every time an Apopka batter took the plate in the first inning, a hit or a run was inevitable.
It all started with Taylor Smith, who brought Apopka’s first run in on a line drive along the left field line. After Smith, it was Ava Gonzalez who collected a two-RBI double. Apopka was up 3-0 after just a few batters – and it only got worse – or better, if you were on the Apopka side of things.
The Blue Darters’ patience and discipline at the plate was on full display as a handful of Apopka batters battled more than six pitches before getting on base or walked.
With Skyla Durand at the plate, Gonzalez stole home for the Blue Darters’ fourth run of the inning. Then Durand grabbed an RBI single, upping the score to 5-0. Alicia Lopez was the next Darter to make noise at the plate when she collected an RBI double to up the core to 6-0 with Apopka still facing zero outs and coming up on the bottom of their batting lineup.
Reese Kernz took the plate for Apopka with runners on second and third facing no outs. Kernz collected a two-RBI double and upped the score to 8-0.
After eight runs, the Warriors decided to send in another pitcher to change up the look at the plate for Apopka’s batters. Shylah Pino was the first Darter to face the new pitcher, who made Pino battle for a hit. Facing a full count, Pino did not want to be the first out, so she got great contact on a pitch to get a double and get on base.
After Pino was Smith again, she has consistently been Apopka’s big bat, capable of huge hits in clutch time. Smith had runners on second and third and barreled up the ball nearly perfectly, sending it all the way to the right field wall about 10 feet short of a home run. The hit turned into a two-RBI triple for Smith, who was on her way to a career game.
Apopka’s first out of the night came after 10 runs had scored. The Blue Darters scored three more runs and took the field in the bottom of the first with a 13-0 lead.
The FHSAA requires at least 4 ½ innings of play before the 10-run rule can take effect. MacWithey told me he put in the subs after the first inning to give everyone an opportunity for some playtime.
Apopka added a pair of runs in the second inning, upping the score differential to the needed 15-run margin at 15-0. The two runs came once again from Smith, who capitalized on her last at-bat, belting a two-run homer.
Apopka’s fielding and pitching were near perfect, not allowing the Warriors to collect a single hit and only letting them get on base twice due to walks.
After the win, MacWithey told me that the girls were doing everything right and that everything was working for them at the plate.
“I’m just blessed,” he said. “We’re so blessed to have people that are putting the bat on the ball.”
MacWithey told me that the team has been working hard on its approach to the plate. Whether it’s the angle of the attack, the swing, or how to control the launch angle, the Blue Darters have been working on their batting, and it’s showing significant results.
As a team, Apopka had a .520 batting average and a .586 on-base percentage. They also collected 13 hits, 13 RBIs, three doubles, two triples and four stolen bases. Smith, Gonzalez, Lopez and Pino led the Blue Darters in the win.
Smith collected three hits, three runs, five RBIs, two triples and one home run.
Gonzalez had a perfect batting average and on-base percentage while racking up two hits, two runs, two RBIs and a double.
Lopez also logged two hits, plus one run scored, two RBIs and a double.
Pino had a .667 batting average and a .750 on-base percentage while collecting two hits and scoring three times.
When MacWithey talked about the team’s pitching and fielding, he was just as proud of that aspect of the team’s game as he was of Apopka’s at-bats. He said their fantastic start has been a team effort.
“The pitching from Ava [Millspaugh] tonight was great,” he said after the game. “She’s doing a great job of keeping the ball down low, so we are holding our opponents at the plate because of that. Our defense has been practically flawless as well.”
Millspaugh held the Warriors hitless and scoreless in the three innings she faced them. She struck out five and walked two while throwing 49 pitches to 11 batters.
MacWithey said after the game he encouraged his team to stay humble.
“Don’t go around bragging; just take the gifts that we are given,” MacWithey said of his message. “Be thankful for those gifts. Be appreciative of where we are right now, because it could very well change in a heartbeat. So, keep working hard, and just do the right things and enjoy the ride.”
What’s next?
After the win at West Orange, MacWithey expressed hope that Apopka softball complex will be ready for the team’s first home game on Friday, March 7, against Boone, but on Tuesday the school district announced the field would not be ready on time. The team also has two road games scheduled this week: Eustis on Wednesday, March 5, and Ocoee High School on Thursday, March 6.
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
Follow The Apopka Chief on Facebook.
Follow The Apopka Chief on X.
Follow The Apopka Chief on Instagram.
