University Christian’s quest for a softball repeat state championship ran into an unhittable pitcher.
Zoe Yzaguirre threw her third consecutive no-hitter and Evangelical Christian atoned for a loss in last year’s championship with a 1-0 win over UC in the 2A title game in Clermont on Wednesday. The Sentinels pushed in the lone run with one out in the bottom of the seventh, a single by Paizley Billie, to deny the Christians in a battle of ace hurlers.
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UC star Sophia Kardatzke, the All-News4JAX player of the year in 2023, was dominant, too, striking out eight and scattering three hits over the distance. But the Christians just couldn’t solve Yzaguirre, whose no-no was her eighth of the season. The Christians beat Evangelical 3-2 last year for the first fast-pitch championship in program history. UC managed just two baserunners against Yzaguirre, a walk and one who reached on an error.
The loss wrapped up the sterling career of Kardatzke, who won 99 career games while starting her career at UC in sixth grade. She finished her career with 1,021 strikeouts.