New heroes step up for Bayshore

BRADENTON -- With each of Bayshore High School's wins in the Class 5A state softball playoffs, the games get shorter while the list of reasons for success gets longer.

Miriam Schmoll and Lashara James shined for the Bruins in their district playoff win against St. Petersburg Lakewood.

JoJo Muldoon provided the offensive punch against Booker.

On Wednesday, Maddy Ramirez drove in two runs while three Bruins scored on a single by Courtney Ueltschi as Bayshore beat Englewood Lemon Bay, 11-0, in five innings in the Class 5A-Region 3 quarterfinal at Bayshore.

The Bruins will host the winner of the quarterfinal between Booker and Arcadia DeSoto County at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the regional semifinals.

The game ended after the Manta Rays batted in the fifth inning. "It was a tough game," Bayshore head coach Frank Luther said. "We did what we needed to do."

Bayshore coaches did not know much about their opponent from Charlotte County, because the Bruins had not played the Manta Rays this season.

"It was going to be us executing and I always tell the girls I don't really worry about our opposition," Luther said. "It's basically what we do" that matters.

Schmoll, who struck out 10 against Booker last week, struck out 11 of the 18 Lemon Bay batters she faced.

"She pitched a really good game," Luther said. "Our defense was behind her and did exactly what we need to do to keep the pitch count down."

Bayshore scored two runs in the first inning, five in the second, three in the third and one in the fourth.

James, batting leadoff for the first time in the playoffs, doubled to center to start the game and scored on a single to left by Schmoll. Courtesy runner Keera Kelly then scored on a double by Muldoon that hit the left-field chalk line.

Bayshore scored five runs in the second on a walk by James, a double by Schmoll, an intentional walk given to Muldoon, a bunt single by Ramirez, and Ueltschi's and Anna Albers' singles. James hit a two-run homer in the third, scoring Liz Alvarez, who walked.

This story was originally published April 20, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "New heroes step up for Bayshore ."