VERO BEACH – What an eight hours it was for local high school softball teams in Vero Beach today.
A wise sports broadcaster once said, “No lead is ever safe,” turns out he was right.
It what will likely go down as the most insane day ever for area softball teams; fans saw one team rally from a 5-0 deficit, another team lose on a walk off two run homerun and another team rally in the top of the seventh only to blow it in the bottom of the seventh.
The day begin with a 11 a.m. semifinal meeting between Ridgeview and Sebring, continued with a 2:30 p.m. meeting between Creekside and Fort Myers and a 4 p.m. meeting with Oakleaf and Winter Springs.
Creekside 7, Fort Myers 6
Things didn’t go according to plan for Creekside early on as Fort Myers attacked pitcher Mallorie Sykes for five runs in the fist inning.
However, they didn’t panic as Sykes eventually settled down and kept the Greenwave off the scoreboard the rest of the game until the sixth inning.
Little by little the Knights began to chip away off starter Vivian Ponn; including a 2 RBI single from Ally Bratek to put the Knights finally on the scoreboard cutting the lead to 5-2 in the top of third.
With the based loaded and out, Lauren Beavis 2 RBI double made it a one run game at 5-4 in the fourth. The Knights tacked on two more runs in the inning to take its first lead of the game at 6-4 still in the fourth.
Creekside added a run in the fifth and the Greenwave added a run in the sixth to cut the lead to 7-6 heading into the seventh.
Sykes fielded the last out of the game to close the door on the Greenwave and send the Knights to the Class 7A state championship game.
Creekside (25-4), who has won 20 of its last 21 games, will face Lake Region (21-9), a 9-3 winner over Doral Academy in the other semifinal, 3:05 p.m. in the Class 7A state title game.
Winter Springs 7, Oakleaf 6
Briana Driscoll singled through the left side of the infield allowing Winter Springs to stun Oakleaf 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh.
The blow was set up as the Bears rallied for three runs in the bottom half of the inning thanks to RBI singles from Nicole Schricker and Kaley Mudge which helped the Bears tie the game.
Through five innings, it looked like there would not be any late dramatic endings as the Bears held a 4-0 lead.
Mudge solo shot over the right field fence set the tone for the game as the Bears jumped on starter Madi Davis early.
Winter Springs loaded the bases in the second and tacked on two more runs on Kennedi Gaton’s two out 2 RBI single increasing the lead to 3-0 after two.
Down 4-0 in the sixth, things appeared to not be going their way, held to one hit though five; Baylee Goddard tripled and scored on Jaycie Brookshire sac fly and Aspen Windesheim singled in a run to cut the lead to 4-3 in the top of the sixth.
Reliever Cambria Arturo kept the Bears off the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth to give the Knights (25-5) a chance in the top of the seventh.
With two outs, Katie Kistler drew a walk, Jaeda McFarland singled moving Kistler to third. Goddard singled in Kistler to tie it and Brookshire 2 RBI double gave the Knights a stunning 6-4 lead.
Winter Springs (30-0) will play Lakewood Ranch (30-0), a 12-2 winner over Cooper City in the other semifinal, in the Class 8A state championship game 5:35 p.m. tomorrow.
Sebring 6, Ridgeview 4 (8 innings)
Senior third baseman Layla Taylor was struggling at the plate staring at a 0-3 day, but that all changed with one swing of the bat.
Taylor sent a pitch over the left centerfield fence just under the scoreboard to give Sebring a 6-4 stunning walk off win over Ridgeview in eight innings.
Tied at 3-3 in the top of the eighth, Raven Little sac fly gave Ridgeview a 4-3 lead going to the bottom of the eighth.
However, Sebring tied it at 4-4 with a sad fly of its own, setting up the dramatic ending.
Despite making its first Final Four appearance, early on it looked like Ridgeview was in total control of things as they took a 2-0 lead on a 2 RBI single from Hannah Foster in the top of the second.
Alyssa Adams solo home run in the top of the third extended the lead to 3-0, as the Panthers were cruising along.
Sebring scratched a single run across in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 3-1 after four.
The Blue Streaks tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 3 all.
The game remained tied going into the top of eighth inning, where Ridgeview got a lead off single from Natalie Foret.
A misplayed pop up put two Panther runners on first and second with no outs, which eventually allowed Ridgeview to take a 4-3 lead going to the bottom of the eighth, just three outs from playing for its first state title.
The loss ends the best season in the programs twenty year history as the Panthers (22-9) came with in three outs from playing for its first state title.
Sebring (26-2) will play Crystal River (20-6), a 2-0 winner over Rockledge in the other semifinal game, in the Class 6A state title game 12:35 p.m. tomorrow.
