JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The night began with four area high school softball teams chasing berths in the state semifinals and ended with three of them headed there.
Region 1-5A
Middleburg’s season ended with one rough inning sealing its fate in an 8-5 loss at Pensacola Pace. Kaylee Crickmore drove in a pair of runs for the Broncos (15-15) and Mallory Forrester had a solid night in the circle with 11 Ks.
Region 1-4A
Ridgeview used the walk-off winner from Gianna Michel with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to come back and stun Baker County 6-5 in the regional final. Haylee McCrea scored the tying run for the Panthers in the bottom of the seventh before Michel’s winner. It was the second consecutive walk-off winner for Ridgeview (26-3), which edged Clay in walk-off fashion after Mary Girgis was hit by a pitch to force in the winner in the regional semifinals.
The Panthers a pair of RBI from Brittany Michael at the plate and 11 Ks from her in the circle. Madison Lagle had seven Ks for the Wildcats.
Region 1-3A
Maddie Latta is on a mission. One game after belting a walk-off homer in the ninth inning, Latta swatted two more long balls as host Episcopal beat Marianna 6-1 in the regional final. In the circle, she was just as dominant, scattering six hits and striking out 10 to send the Eagles (23-5) on to the state semifinals. Kami Eppley and Peyton Namyslowski both had three-hit games, with Namyslowski homering. Grace Jones also homered for the Eagles. Episcopal will face Windermere Prep in the state semifinals on Wednesday at noon.
Region 1-2A
The Sophia Kardatzke Show rolls on. Next stop for University Christian, the state semifinals. Kardatzke, UC’s electric freshman, continued her sterling season in keeping Trinity Christian’s high-powered offense in check in an 11-6 win in the regional final. Kardatzke struck out 15 in the win. While her no-hitter streak ended at five games, Kardatzke and the Christians are thundering on to the state semifinals on a nine-game winning streak. Freshman Jahliyah Robinson homered and drove in two runs, seventh grader Elissa Murdock knocked in a pair and eighth grader Kate Dell Alba had two hits and drove in three. Breezy Burnett and Rylee Aspinwall had two hits apiece for Trinity, the 2019 state champion.
Regional final results
Region 1-5A
Pace 8, Middleburg 5
Region 1-4A
Ridgeview 6, Baker County 5
Region 1-3A
Episcopal 6, Marianna 1
Region 1-2A
University Christian 11, Trinity Christian 6
State semifinals
At Legends Way Ball Fields (Clermont)
Class 2A
May 18: University Christian (17-2) vs. Mount Dora Christian (20-8)
Class 3A
May 19: Episcopal (23-5) vs. Windermere Prep (24-1), noon
Class 4A
May 20: Ridgeview (26-3) vs. Eustis (25-1), 10 a.m.