ATLANTIC COAST – Unbeaten, untied, and unblemished, the Fletcher Middle School softball team went unmatched all season capping a 14-0 season after defeating Mandarin Middle 10-8 in the Duval County Middle School championship game.
However, Fletcher did not go unscathed in their attempt to be crowned champions as Mandarin made the game very close.
Mandarin began the scoring in the contest taking a 4-1 lead early on thanks to a scores by #2 C. Davis, #7 Brown, and #13 Freeland. The score was significant because it was the first time Fletcher had trailed all year, and after just three innings, Mandarin had accomplished this feat twice in one game.
Beginning of the second inning and Mandarin leads Fletcher 1-0. @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/pI5Z4IMl5h
— Makeda Lawton (@adekam1976) May 23, 2018
Finding themselves down early, Fletcher mounted an offensive barrage thanks to their pitcher #13 P. Harrell who scored an R.B.I bringing in #21 M. Batten in the bottom of the second.
Then in the bottom of the 3rd, #00 D. Watterson and #11 E. Perry scored for Fletcher closing the Mandarin lead to 4-3. Fletcher’s #1 T. Bittner along with Batten were able to give Fletcher their first lead of the game scoring runs to make the score 5-4 at the bottom of the 3rd.
Mandarin sustains their lead with a 4-1 score. Bottom of the 3rd. @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/Ge4Fbg2Afw
— Makeda Lawton (@adekam1976) May 23, 2018
The excitement from Mandarin’s dugout fueled them to an early lead. However, their ruckus would not be able to withstand the red-hot bats from Fletcher in the fourth inning.
With the bases loaded, Fletcher would score run after run building, a 10-4 lead in the fourth. They would get a big score by #3 C. Brown, along with players who had already scored in the contest, including Perry, Bittner, Batten and Davis who lead Fletcher all season.
Good game Lady Hawks. Mandarin Middle finishes as the runner up in the Middle School Softball Championship. @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/3CWs6qSBsc
— Makeda Lawton (@adekam1976) May 24, 2018
With a 10-4 deficit, Mandarin began to climb themselves out of a hole by chipping away at the Fletcher lead.
A. Schreiber led the comeback with a hit as well as a score for Mandarin. The Hawks would climb to within two runs of the Lady Senators but it would not be enough, as Fletcher staved off the comeback to win 10-8.
Fletcher Middle school takes the crown as the Middle School Softball Champions. Congratulations!!!@DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/KYYSRKAszm
— Makeda Lawton (@adekam1976) May 24, 2018
With the softball victory, Fletcher as a whole secured their seventh total City Championship in various sports for the year.
“They worked hard this whole season, taking nothing away from Mandarin they had a real good team, but we just tried to play like we’ve been brought up to play,” Fletcher Coach King stated.
Mandarin’s success should be noted as well, with several city championship runner-ups this year as well as city championships.
“It was just a fun game all the way around. I was proud of both teams,” Mandarin coach Jon Kern said. “You only have seven innings to play and unfortunately somebody’s got to win and somebody’s got to lose.”
