JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Clay softball team went on the road and pulled a massive upset in the opening round of the high school softball playoffs on Thursday night.
The eighth-seeded Blue Devils stunned previously unbeaten Gulf Breeze 4-1 in the Region 1-5A quarterfinals. The Dolphins entered the game 25-0, but the Blue Devils are the ones moving on for coach Matt Lewis. They’ll visit county rival Ridgeview in the regional semifinals on May 16. The Panthers beat Ponte Vedra 5-0.
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A night earlier, top-seeded Baldwin (Region 1-3A) and University Christian (1-2) romped in their regional quarterfinals on Wednesday night. The Indians clobbered North Bay Haven 15-0. UC ran over St. Joseph 13-0. Both of those teams get challenging second round games next Tuesday. Baldwin will host West Nassau, which went on the road and beat Marianna 4-2. UC will get Tallahassee North Florida Christian, which had no problem with St. Johns Country Day.
In all-local first-round matchups, Episcopal beat Fernandina Beach 4-1 in Region 1-3A and Baker County beat Bishop Kenny 6-2 in 1-4A. In Region 1-2A, Providence (14-4 over Bishop Snyder) and Trinity Christian (12-2 over Peniel) also won to set up a regional semifinal date.
The first round of the state playoffs continues on Thursday night.
Regional quarterfinals
Wednesday’s results
Region 1-4A
(1) Wakulla 6, (8) Tocoi Creek 3
(5) Panama City Beach Arnold 9, (4) Paxon 2
(2) Baker County 6, (7) Bishop Kenny 2
Region 1-3A
(1) Baldwin 15, (8) North Bay Haven 0
(5) West Nassau 4, (4) Marianna 2
(2) Tallahassee Florida High 15, (7) Keystone Heights 1
(3) Episcopal 4, (6) Fernandina Beach 1
Region 1-2A
(1) University Christian 13, (8) St. Joseph 0
(4) Tallahassee North Florida Christian 16, (5) St. Johns Country Day 1
(2) Providence 14, (7) Bishop Snyder 4
(3) Trinity Christian 12, (6) Peniel Baptist 2
Regional quarterfinals
Thursday, all games 7 p.m. unless indicated
Region 1-7A
(5) Flagler Palm Coast (13-4) at (4) Lake Mary (12-13), late
(6) Ocala West Port 8, (3) Creekside 2
Region 1-6A
(2) Oviedo Hagerty 2, (7) Oakleaf 0
Region 1-5A
(8) Clay 4, Gulf Breeze 1
(4) Ridgeview 5, (5) Ponte Vedra 0
(2) Deltona 4, (7) Columbia 2
(6) Middleburg (14-10) at (3) Fort Walton Beach (17-7), late
Regionals semifinals
May 11, all games 7 p.m. unless indicated
Region 3-1A
(1) Branford 3, (4) Fort White 0
(3) Aucilla Christian 5, (2) Hilliard 4
Regional semifinals
May 16, all games 7 p.m. unless indicated
Region 1-5A
(8) Clay (13-10) at (4) Ridgeview (18-6)
Region 1-4A
(6) South Walton (16-5) at (2) Baker County (18-9)
Region 1-3A
(5) West Nassau (16-9) at (1) Baldwin (23-4)
(3) Episcopal (21-4) at (2) Florida High (18-5)
Region 1-2A
(4) Tallahassee North Florida Christian (12-10) at (1) University Christian (19-2)
(3) Trinity Christian (7-12) (2) Providence (18-5), 6 p.m.