Pape makes immediate impact

By BRANT JAMES, GREG AUMAN and PETE YOUNG

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 15, 2001

A season that hardly could have started any better finished just as well last week as Central graduate Jennifer Pape was named the Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year following her first softball campaign at Rollins College in Winter Park.

"I was really lucky to be showcased and get innings and playing time on a good team," Pape said of the 32-18 Tars. "Walking in there on a good team, I was able to do things because of them."

Pape, who lives in Spring Hill, batted .290 and slugged .597, amassing 10 homers, 45 hits, 33 runs and 27 RBI.

As a pitcher, she went 12-4 with a 1.90 earned-run average and threw a no-hitter in her first collegiate start. She also hit two home runs in her first doubleheader, proving to herself instantly that she belonged.

"That definitely opened my eyes as far as being able to compete," Pape said. "I was extremely surprised with the no-hitter and two home runs. I'd never been a home run-hitter before."

Pape was named to the SSC second team as a utility player. The psychology major will enter school next fall as an academic junior with a 3.75 grade-point average.

Rollins coach Michelle Frew was unavailable for comment.

GOLF: Former Hernando state champion Kelly Lagedrost shot a final-round 70 on Saturday to help the University of South Florida finish fourth in the NCAA East Regional and earn its first NCAA Championships berth since 1991.

Fany Schaeffer's 69 and Lagedrost's tally powered the Bulls in their sixth regional since 1991. USF's final-day 293 in Chapel Hill, N.C., elevated it from seventh and the next-to-last qualifying spot. The Bulls' performance was beaten only by third-place Georgia's 292.

South Florida missed qualifying last year by one spot, taking 12th in the same regional. Lagedrost had placed 34th individually as a junior, but she improved to 21st this year.

The NCAA Championships are scheduled for May 22-25 at Mission Inn Golf & Tennis Resort in Howey-In-The-Hills.

BASKETBALL: Hernando's Bernice Mosby suffered a mild concussion in the fourth quarter of Sunday's AAU state championship game, which her team, the Clearwater Green Wave, won for the sixth consecutive year.

Mosby hit her head on the court with 10 minutes remaining and was helped from the floor with Clearwater trailing the Orlando Warriors by seven points. The Green Wave had trailed by as many as 15 points before rallying to win 76-73.

Mosby was doing "all right" and feeling well enough to attend school Monday, said her grandfather, Willie Brown.

A three-point play by Boca Ciega's Kelcey Roegiers-Jensen with 15 seconds remaining lifted Clearwater to the victory. Orlando missed a two-point shot on its final attempt.

"The key was definitely the defense," coach Sheri Sherpf said. "We just started doing a better job of denying the ball."

The Green Wave posted three regional victories to reach the state tournament, and it won three games over the weekend to advance to the final. It had defeated Orlando by 18 points Saturday, and the Warriors came through the losers bracket to reach the title game.

The other Green Wave members are: Megan East of Palm Harbor University, Jennifer Hansen of Seminole, Kasie Muchler of Clearwater, Briana Phillips of Bradenton Southeast, Dominique Redding of Clearwater, Erin Vierling of Orlando Boone, Sara Wallace of Northside Christian and Sheena Walton of Largo.

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