Spruce Creek P Kelsey Dunne (0.19 ERA coming in) threw a perfect game and struck out 14 of the 18 Dunbar batters she faced in a six-inning game Tuesday night.

 

Dunne also hit 4-for-4 with a double and 4 RBI. Rochelle Kellar hit 2-for-4 and scored three times for Spruce Creek, the No. 2-ranked team in Florida's Class 6A. The Lady Hawks had 13 hits.

 

It should be noted that Creek is in midseason form; the prep season started here in February with district tournaments starting April 17.

What noticeable differences do you see between softball in FL compared to that of a much colder KY...I hope all goes well my friend from the mountains...:dancingpa

The advantages of better pitching and strong ASA summer traveling teams cannot be understated. It helps that the weather here favors playing year-round, of course, but there's not as much basketball pressure here, either.

 

BTW, Florida has backed up the pitcher's rubber to the college distance of 43 feet; once pitchers get used to it, it's pretty much a nonfactor. In the case of the Dunne girl, it should do even more to prepare her for a college Division I career (I believe she's just a junior, and she has a 60mph+ screwball, curve ball, drop ball, rise ball, two change-ups, a knuckleball and a flip). But until a pitcher gets used to it, she has to watch her pitches start to tail off 3 feet short of where she expects it to.

 

Weaker pitchers --- the ones who have trouble getting the ball 40 feet --- wouldn't have a prayer at 43.

43' is a great distance...I wish KY would adopt this distance. I know Cortney Bentley and Natalie Gooch would both benefit from the increase. Cortney's breaking pitches would be that much more lethal. I have seen her throw at the distance of 43' and the difference is incredible.

43' is a great distance...I wish KY would adopt this distance. I know Cortney Bentley and Natalie Gooch would both benefit from the increase. Cortney's breaking pitches would be that much more lethal. I have seen her throw at the distance of 43' and the difference is incredible.

The distance doesn't make as much of a difference as a good summer team does. If the top 20 or so players from Pike County played ASA summer tournament ball, it would do a great deal to help the game there.