JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Six area baseball teams wrapped up spots in the regional semifinals by sweeping their opening round games on Tuesday night.
This is the first year that baseball regional rounds are the best of three.
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Clay had no trouble with Bishop Kenny in Region 1-4A, sweeping the Crusaders with a 9-1 win.
In 1-2A Trinity Christian hammered Maclay (10-0), Episcopal raced past Providence 7-2, and Bishop Snyder beat Keystone Heights 9-0 to all move on to the regional semis.
In Region 1-1A, St. Joseph ousted Christ’s Church with a 7-6 win to sweep the series 2-0. And reigning state champ St. Johns Country Day run ruled Covenant School of Jacksonville 10-0 to move on.
Needing a third game to decide the openers are Bolles and Bozeman (1-2A), Baldwin and Suwannee (1-3A), and West Nassau and Fernandina Beach (1-3A). All those deciding games will be held on Thursday.
Monday’s recap
University Christian became the first area team to punch its ticket for the second round with an 11-1 and 10-0 sweep of host Rocky Bayou Christian in the Region 1-1A quarterfinals.
Caden Worbington had a huge night for UC, going a combined 5 for 8 with five RBI and a pair of homers. Also in 1-1A, Preston Cole and Gibby Gilliand homered, and Brayden Harris was as good as he’s ever been on the mound as St. Johns Country Day beat Covenant School of Jacksonville 10-0 in six innings. Harris whiffed 18, allowed two hits, and walked just one in a sterling performance for the reigning 1A state champ.
Had the game continued in the seventh, there’s a very good chance that Harris could have finished with 21 outs coming via strikeout. Former Bishop Snyder ace Aidan King, last year’s All-News4JAX player of the year, recorded 20 Ks in a 3-0 win over Providence in last year’s playoff opener.
Harris threw 80 pitches, 25 fewer than the maximum allowed.
In 1-2A, Trinity Christian got a scare from Maclay but handled things in Game 1 for a 3-2 win. Aaron Watson whiffed seven and allowed just two hits for the Conquerors. Aiden Arnett went 3 for 4 in the win.
In 1-4A, Clay’s JC Rosette capped an unforgettable night with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the eighth to deliver the Blue Devils a 3-2 win over Bishop Kenny. Rosette finished 3 for 4, accounting for more than half of Clay’s total hits (five).
Playoff schedule
Region 1-4A
(4) Choctawhatchee (17-12) beats (5) St. Augustine (12-15), 2-0.
Game 1, Monday’s result, Choctaw 6, St. Augustine 5; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, Choctaw 12, St. Augustine 10.
(2) Clay (20-9) beats (7) Bishop Kenny (7-21), 2-0.
Game 1, Monday’s result, Clay 3, Bishop Kenny 2; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, Clay 9, Bishop Kenny 1.
Region 1-3A
(5) West Nassau (18-10) at (4) Fernandina Beach (19-7), series tied 1-1
Game 1, Monday’s result, Fernandina Beach 6, West Nassau 5 (10 innings); Game 2, Tuesday’s result, West Nassau 5, Fernandina Beach 4; Game 3, Thursday, 7 p.m.
(2) West Florida (24-4) beats (7) Paxon (16-10), 2-0.
Game 1, Monday’s result, West Florida 8, Paxon 2; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, West Florida 16, Paxon 6.
(6) Baldwin (14-12) at (3) Suwannee (19-7), series tied 1-1
Game 1, Monday’s result, Suwannee 9, Baldwin 4; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, Baldwin 8, Suwannee 2; Game 3, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Region 2-3A
(3) Villages Charter (22-6) beats (6) Palatka (18-19), 2-0
Game 1, Monday’s result, Villages 8, Palatka 3; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, Villages 10, Palatka 2.
Region 1-2A
(1) Trinity Christian (25-4) beats (8) Maclay (19-8), 2-0
Game 1, Monday’s result, Trinity Christian 3, Maclay 2; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, Trinity Christian 10, Maclay 0.
(5) Episcopal (22-6) beats (4) Providence (15-12), 2-0
Game 1, Monday’s result, Episcopal 3, Providence 2; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, Episcopal 7, Providence 2.
(2) Bishop Snyder (22-6) beats (7) Keystone Heights (19-9), 2-0
Game 1, Monday’s result, Bishop Snyder 8, Keystone Heights 3; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, Bishop Snyder 9, Keystone Heights 0.
(6) Bolles (16-10) at (3) Bozeman (23-4), series tied 1-1
Game 1, Monday’s result, Bolles 17, Bozeman 5; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, Bozeman 9, Bolles 3; Game 3, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Region 1-1A
(1) St. Johns Country Day (21-8) beats (8) Covenant School (15-13), 2-0
Game 1, Monday’s result, St. Johns Country Day 10, Covenant School 0; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, St. Johns Country Day 15, Covenant School 0.
(2) University Christian (19-8) beats (7) Rocky Bayou Christian (9-8-1), 2-0
Game 1, Monday’s result, University Christian 11, Rocky Bayou 1; Game 2, Monday’s result, University Christian 10, Rocky Bayou 0.
(3) St. Joseph (21-7-1) beats (6) Christ’s Church (14-13), 2-0
Game 1, Monday’s result, St. Joseph 7, Christ’s Church 0; Game 2, Tuesday’s result, St. Joseph 7, Christ’s Church 6.