JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four area teams made it through to the second round of the high school baseball state playoffs on the first of two nights in the postseason.
Beachside, Clay, Creekside and Union County all won their first-round games to move on in the playoffs on Tuesday night. Teams in Class 2A, 3A and 4A — the heavyweight classifications that include teams like Bishop Snyder, Bolles, Episcopal, St. Johns Country Day and Trinity Christian — play their openers on Wednesday.
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Beachside made history in Region 1-5A, using a complete game gem from Jake Meadows to beat Columbia 2-0 for the first playoff win in the school’s brief history. Beachside opened last year. The Tigers went to the state final four in 2023, but are done this season. Now, the Barracudas (16-13) move on to face third-seeded Clay in Friday’s regional semifinal. The Blue Devils beat Ponte Vedra 11-7.
Host Creekside edged Winter Park 3-2 in Region 1-7A. Sean Ashenfelder, also the school’s top quaretrback for the Knights football team, broke a 2-all tie in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single to put the Knights up for good (18-10). Creekside, seeded No. 2 in the region, will host third-seed Lake Mary on Friday.
In Region 3-1A, Union County shook off four errors and pushed across the winner in the bottom of the 10th inning to edge Madison County 1-0. The Tigers (15-13) will face top-seeded Lafayette (22-2) on Saturday in the regional finals.
It was a tough night for other area teams. Bartram Trail and Flagler Palm Coast suffered one-run losses in Region 1-7A. All three teams in 1-6A — Fleming Island, Oakleaf and Tocoi Creek — bowed out in the first round. And both St. Augustine and Orange Park suffered one-run losses in Region 1-5A.
Baseball playoffs
Tuesday’s results
Regional quarterfinals
Region 1-7A
(1) Timber Creek 1, (8) Flagler Palm Coast 0
(4) Spruce Creek 7, (5) Bartram Trail 6
(2) Creekside 3, (7) Winter Park 2
Region 1-6A
(4) Pace 3, (5) Fleming Island 2
(2) Tallahassee Chiles 11, (7) Tocoi Creek 4
(3) Hagerty 5, (6) Oakleaf 0
Region 1-5A
(1) Tallahassee Lincoln 1, (8) Orange Park 0
(4) Escambia 5, (5) St. Augustine 4
(7) Beachside 2, (2) Columbia 0
(3) Clay 11, (6) Ponte Vedra 7
Regional semifinals
Region 3-1A
(2) Union County 3, (3) Liberty County 2
Friday’s games
Regional semifinals
Region 1-7A
(3) Lake Mary (20-7) at (2) Creekside (18-10)
Region 1-5A
(7) Beachside (16-13) at (3) Clay (17-9)
Saturday’s game
Regional final
Region 3-1A
(2) Union County (15-13) at (1) Lafayatte (22-2)