Clay’s stunning run in the softball state semifinals ended on Thursday morning.
Deltona broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the sixth and knocked off the Blue Devils 4-0 in the Class 4A final four game in Clermont. Kendyll Mann had the lone Clay hit off Katie McCaw.
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It was Clay’s third state semifinal appearance in school history, all under coach Matt Lewis. He led the Blue Devils to their lone title in 2001. The area has had its struggles as a whole in winning state fast-pitch softball titles. Only 29 times since the first fast-pitch championship game in 1988 have area teams play for a title. Eleven have brought home titles, and only seven have been won by public schools.
Middleburg plays later Thursday in the Class 5A state semifinals.
Clay had runners on second and third base in the top of the sixth after drawing back-to-back walks and then moving around on a passed ball. But McCaw induced a ground out and then a fly out to escape the inning.
Deltona pushed all four of its runs across in the bottom of the inning to end Clay’s season.
The Blue Devils advanced much further than their No. 8 seed in Region 1 indicated. Clay beat Baker County, Wakulla and West Florida in the regional round, all on the road. The 1-0 win over West Florida in 10 innings was particularly sweet.
The Jaguars wouldn’t change the date of the game so that Clay’s five seniors could attend their graduation. Senior Abigail Rutledge scored the lone run of the game on a triple by McKinsey Bardroff. The school held a special graduation ceremony on May 22 so that the seniors who played in that game could walk across the stage.
Area fast-pitch softball state champions
School, Class, Year
Clay, 4A, 2001
Bishop Snyder, 2A, 2006
Bartram Trail, 5A, 2008
Eagle’s View, 1A, 2008
Bartram Trail, 5A, 2009
Eagle’s View, 1A, 2009
Eagle’s View, 1A, 2010
Columbia, 6A, 2013
Baker County, 5A, 2015
Oakleaf, 8A, 2017
Union County, 1A, 2017
Trinity Christian, 4A, 2019
State runners-up
School, Class, Year
First Coast, 4A, 1994
Mandarin, 6A, 1996
Arlington Country Day, 1A, 2002
Providence, 2A, 2008
Fletcher, 6A, 2009
Bolles, 3A, 2009
Bishop Snyder, 3A, 2012
Creekside, 5A, 2013
Bishop Snyder, 3A, 2013
West Nassau, 4A, 2015
University Christian, 3A, 2016
Oakleaf, 8A, 2018
West Nassau, 5A, 2018
Trinity Christian, 4A, 2018
Creekside, 7A, 2019
University Christian, 2A, 2021
University Christian, 2A, 2022
Fort White, 1A, 2022