Bartow softball close to perfect in rout of Strawberry Crest

BARTOW — Bartow freshman Red Oxley didn't follow up her district championship game performance with another perfect game or no-hitter, but it was close enough.

Oxley struck out 13 batters in five innings, and got plenty of run support from her teammates in Bartow's 10-0 victory over Strawberry Crest on Thursday afternoon in the Class 6A, Region 2 quarterfinals.

Bartow will play host to Plant City Durant in the semifinals on Tuesday. Durant beat Jenkins 8-1.

Oxley, who pitched the first perfect game in a district championship game in Bartow history last week, allowed her teammates to record just two outs in fielding the ball as she recorded strikeouts for the other 13 outs. Oxley took part in one of the outs as the batter grounded out to her.

First baseman McKenzie Gibson record the other out in the field when she caught a pop-up.

The only hit Oxley allowed was a bloop shot that didn't reach the outfield and was just over the head and out of reach of shortstop Kailey Guethle.

Although she has been virtually unhittable, her mindset should send shivers up the backs of her upcoming opponents.

"I feel like I can always get better," she said. "I feel like as of right now, what I'm doing with coach (Mike) Littlejohn is working for me and my team and how we are able to focus on hitting more than having to focus on defensive play, and being able to move forward in the game faster."

Littlejohn is her personal pitching coach, and is also is the father of four-time state champion pitcher Lindsay Littlejohn.

Oxley struck out the first four batters she faced. After a batter reached on an error, she struck out two more to get out of the inning.

"She's pretty tough," Bartow coach Glenn Rutenbar said. "You're always in the ballgame when she pitches like that. If you don't score any runs, it's 0-0."

Oxley got plenty of run support from her teammates. Guethle's two-run single in the bottom of the second inning gave Bartow a 2-0 lead.

The Yellow Jackets added four in the second. Mari Stephens and Oxley singled to lead off the inning. Stephens and a courtesy runner scored when the right fielder dropped McKenzie Gibson's deep drive to right.

Emily Hendrix, who had a pair of hits in the game, also an RBI single and scored on Peighton Mathis' sacrifice bunt.

Guethle's two-run single in the bottom of the fifth was the big hit of the inning when Bartow tacked on four more runs to to end the game.

"We're playing good at the right time and hope it continues," Rutenbar said.

Durant 8, George Jenkins 1

Durant took control with five runs in the first inning and outhit Jenkins, 13-2. The only highlight for Jenkins was Kristen Steller's solo home run in the fourth inning. Olivia Newman had the only other hit for Jenkins.