Oakleaf used a big fifth inning and held on at the finish to beat Apopka 5-4 in the Region 1-7A semifinals on Tuesday night.
Mariyah Sanchez, Khloe Banks, Trinidi Murrell and Kayla Aldridge all had two-hit games, and Ciara Gibson drove in a pair of runs for Oakleaf to push the Knights into the regional final. Oakleaf (17-7) scored four runs in the fifth to pull in front for good.
Apopka had the go-ahead run at the plate in the top of the seventh but the Knights turned a double play to end it.
Region 1-5A
Mallory Forrester whiffed 19 and host Middleburg beat Gainesville 5-1 to move into Friday’s regional final. The Broncos (17-11) will travel to face Tallahassee Lincoln (17-8).
Region 1-4A
Clay’s playoff run continues. The eighth-seeded Blue Devils went on the road for another win, bouncing Wakulla 3-1 to advance to the regional finals. Sydney Davis doubled and drove in a run and Gabrielle Ellis fired a three-hitter with six Ks to send Clay (16-11) onward. The Blue Devils will travel to West Florida on Friday. The Jaguars beat Paxon 4-0. The Golden Eagles finished their season 13-11.
Region 1-3A
Kayla Robinson belted two homers and Jasmine Ramos-Merced added another as host Baldwin hammered Florida High 12-0 to reach the third round of the state playoffs for the first time. Piper Young fired a one-hitter for the Indians (25-2), who advance to Friday’s regional final against Keystone Heights. ... The Indians used a two-run first inning with runs by Kiley Channell and Emma Rogel and a solid game in the circle from Madi Mitzel to beat host Providence 3-1. The Indians have won 11 consecutive games.
Region 1-2A
Jordan Lasater homered, Breezy Burnett drove in two runs and host Trinity Christian beat St. Johns Country Day 8-0. The top-seeded Conquerors (14-8) got a five-hitter with four Ks from Carolyn Lasaster to move into Friday’s regional final against University Christian. The Christians used Sophia Kardatzke’s second no-hitter of the playoffs to beat Aucilla Christian 11-0.
Region 3-1A
Kadence Compton had a career game for Fort White, swatting a homer and driving in three and then firing a one-hitter with 14 Ks as the Indians beat Union County 4-0.
Compton homered and doubled for the Indians and kept a heavy-hitting Tigers lineup in check to send them to the state semifinals.
Tuesday’s scores
Regional semifinals
Region 1-7A
Oakleaf 5, Apopka 4
Region 1-5A
Middleburg 5, Gainesville 1
Region 1-4A
Clay 3, Wakulla 1
West Florida 4, Paxon 0
Region 1-3A
Baldwin 12, Florida High 0
Keystone Heights 3, Providence 1
Region 1-2A
University Christian 11, Aucilla Christian 0
Trinity Christian 8, St. Johns CD 0
Regional final
Region 3-1A
Fort White 4, Union County 0
Friday’s games
Region 1-7A
Oakleaf (17-7) vs. Lake Brantley/Hagerty
Region 1-5A
Middleburg (17-11) at Lincoln (17-8)
Region 1-4A
Clay (16-11) at West Florida (16-10)
Region 1-3A
Keystone Heights (19-9) at Baldwin (25-2)
Region 1-2A
University Christian (17-8) at Trinity Christian (14-8)