VERO BEACH – For the second straight day, Creekside dug themselves into a deep whole, only this time they weren’t able to get out of it.
Already behind 2-0, a four run fourth inning by Lake Region put the Thunder up 6-0, a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in a 8-3 win at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
After stranding runners on second and third, Lake Region made them pay as Bre’Asia Thomas 2 RBI single gave the Thunder an early 2-0 lead.
The nerves of playing in their first championship game were evident as the Knights committed three errors early on.
Savannah Barret delivered the big blow with a bases clearing double putting the Thunder ahead 6-0 in the fourth.
The Knights loaded the bases in the fifth, a two out liner to short scored two runs for the Knights cutting the lead to 6-2 after five innings.
Lake Region got an insurance run as Thomas knocked in Kylee Baldwin to put the Thunder up 7-2 in the top of the sixth.
Two Thunder errors allowed Creekside to plate a single run in the sixth to cut the lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the sixth.
Lake Region loaded the bases in the top of the seventh and was able to score a single run to take a 8-3 lead in the seventh, three outs away from a state title.
Creekside (25-5), which entered the game having won 20 of its last 21 games, ended its season with the loss as the Class 7A state runnerups.