Softball: Wednesday’s region quarterfinal breakdown (4A-2A)

The softball playoffs start Wednesday with region quarterfinal games in Classes 2A-4A. Admission is $7. Here is the schedule with outlooks for each area game, as well as team leaders for each matchup.

Class 4A

Tarpon Springs (6-14) at Hernando (22-4), 7

The Spongers, the 4A-10 runnerup, are led by Phoebe Howard, who ranks first in the area and seventh in the state in strikeouts with 230. The Leopards, winners of four straight, beat Weeki Wachee and Wesley Chapel by a combined 24-0 to take the 4A-9 district title. Ava Braswell threw a pair of shutouts, allowing a combined three hits and recording 14 strikeouts during the tournament. 

Team leaders

CategoryTarpon SpringsHernando
Batting averagePaige Howard .340Solaris Genberg .485
RBIsJade Borynski 11Olivia Townsend 35
Home runsJade Borynski 1Olivia Townsend 5
ERAPaige Howard 2.43Savannah Ellis 1.21
StrikeoutsPaige Howard 230Ava Braswell 51

Wesley Chapel (12-13) at Dunedin (17-9), 7

The Wildcats secured a playoff berth with a 12-8 eight-inning win over Nature Coast in the 4A-9 district semifinals. Ashley Garrison went 2-for-2 with a double and five RBIs and Kadence Means was 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs. The Falcons, the 4A-10 champions, rebounded from a 1-3 stretch late in the regular season to win three straight, including victories over Anclote (16-0) in the semifinals and Tarpon Springs (4-1) in the final of the district tournament. Gianna Ondrey threw three perfect innings and recorded four strikeouts on the mound and went 3-for-3 with three RBIs against the Sharks. Hannah Chichester went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in a win over the Spongers. 

Team leaders

CategoryWesley ChapelDunedin
Batting average Ashley Garrison .462Jaclyn Ellison .500
RBIsAshley Garrison 26Kendall Rubel 20
Home runs Ashley Garrison 7Mariah Gradzki 6
ERAGabriella Gonzalez-Villages 4.02Makayla Oster 2.41
Strikeouts Makenna Rice 35Gianna Ondrey 52

Lake Wales (12-15) at Robinson (22-4), 7

The Highlanders made the playoffs as the 4A-12 runnerup. The Knights, the 4A-11 champions, have won four straight and 11 of their last 12. The lone loss in that span came against Doral Academy, the top-ranked team in 6A, in the final of the Longshore Tournament. Robinson was dominant in its district tournament, beating Bradenton Bayshore and Chamberlain by a combined 25-0. Jordan Stephens was 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs and three runs scored against the Bruins. Riley Onisawa had the Knights’ only extra-base hit, a double, against the Chiefs. 

Team leaders

CategoryLake WalesRobinson
Batting average Cameron Dicks .488Jordan Stephens .588
RBIs Cameron Dicks 25Destiny DeHoyos 42
Home runs Zamya McBurrows, Sydnie Whitaker 3Destiny DeHoyos 10
ERACameron Dicks 2.25Olivia Van Zandt 2.47
StrikeoutsLexi Thomas 76Olivia Van Zandt 62

Chamberlain (4-13) at Lake Region (16-11), 7

The Chiefs made the playoffs as the 4A-11 runnerup thanks to an 18-4 win over Middleton in the district semifinals. Keishliany Madrid drove in four runs against the Tigers. After going 4-8 down the stretch in the regular season, the Thunder won the games that mattered most, beating Sebring and Lake Wales to take the 4A-12 title.

Team leaders

CategoryChamberlainLake Region
Batting averageDestiny Breton .372Raelyn Roland .420
RBIsSelina Ramos 23Kaley Fail 19
Home runsSelina Ramos 3Raelyn Roland 3
ERAJanel Larrieux 5.81Alex Wright 1.58
StrikeoutsJanel Larrieux 27Alex Wright 94

Class 3A

Frostproof (12-6) at Cypress Creek (15-5), 7

The Bulldogs advanced as the 3A-10 district runnerup after beating Lake Placid 8-5 in the semifinals. The Coyotes rebounded from a two-game losing streak to close to the regular season to beat Brooks DeBartolo (15-0) in the semifinals and Berkeley Prep (6-5) in the final of the district tournament to take the title. Alyson Gehrmann threw a two-hit shutout with three strikeouts against the Phoenix. Trae Diaz went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs against the Buccaneers. 

Team leaders

CategoryFrostproofCypress Creek
Batting averageBelle Mancillas .455Mandy Schwartz .543
RBIs Belle Mancillas 13Mandy Schwartz 25
Home runs Jordan Brantley, Casey Whittington 2Mandy Schwartz 11
ERABelle Mancillas 0.85Haley Vazquez 1.22
StrikeoutsBelle Mancillas 105Haley Vazquez 149

Berkeley Prep (14-9) at Lakeland McKeel Academy (18-7), 4

This is a rematch from a game the Wildcats won 13-2 last month. After starting the season 7-0, the Buccaneers went 7-9 the rest of the way. Still, Berkeley Prep secured a playoff spot with a 17-2 win over Tampa Catholic in the 3A-9 semifinals. Cassidy Verville had a homer and five RBIs and Quincy Combs went 3-for-4 with two runs scored against the Crusaders. McKeel Academy, the 3A-10 champion, is ranked No. 8 in the classification by MaxPreps. 

Team leaders

CategoryBerkeley PrepMcKeel Academy
Batting averageHannah Church .548Charli Warren .557
RBIs Hannah Church, Gracie Murphy 21Kyndal Cornelius 41
Home runsHannah Church 10Kerissa Howell 5
ERAJulia Diecidue 3.30Annalyse Torres 3.34
StrikeoutsGracie Murphy 43Skylar Hodges 116

Parrish (13-10) at Academy of the Holy Names (14-5), 7

The Bulls beat Lemon Bay in the 3A-12 semifinals to reach the playoffs. The Jaguars won their first district title since 2016 thanks to a dramatic 4-3 win over Calvary Christian in the 3A-11 title game. Chase Cordoves hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Rachael Petrarca for the walk-off, winning run. In the semifinals, Academy of the Holy Names beat Clearwater Central Catholic 19-5. Cordoves was 3-for-3 with a triple, four RBIs and three runs scored against the Marauders. 

Team leaders

CategoryParrishAcademy of the Holy Names
Batting averageJulia Girk .500Rachael Petrarca .492
RBIsAlex Call 19Camryn Feast 18
Home runsAlex Call, Julia Girk 2Rachael Petrarca 2
ERAElla Torres 3.23Keala Hollenkamp 1.47
StrikeoutsElla Torres 51Annabelle Sardja 68

Calvary Christian (20-5) at Fort Myers Bishop Verot (21-3), 7

The Warriors had their four-game win streak snapped with a loss to Academy of the Holy Names in the 3A-11 final. Calvary Christian got the title game by beating Sarasota Cardinal Mooney 19-0 in the semifinals to secure a playoff spot. Malia Connelly threw 4 ⅔ scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out four, against the Cougars. The Vikings, the 3A-12 champions, are ranked 10th in the classification by MaxPreps. 

Team leaders

CategoryCalvary ChristianBishop Verot
Batting averageLeah Jarnac .672Lauren Mills .514
RBIsLeah Jarnac 37Victoria Ash, Audrey Mills 24
Home runsLeah Jarnac 5Lillie Layne 3
ERA Malia Connelly 2.27Victoria Ash 1.25
StrikeoutsMalia Connelly 58Victoria Ash 193

Class 2A

Merritt Island Christian (10-8) at Seffner Christian (16-6), 5

The Cougars qualified after beating Covenant Christian 16-1 in the 2A-7 semifinals. The Crusaders, meanwhile, cruised to the 2A-8 district title, beating Foundation Christian and Lakeland Christian by a combined 29-0. Shannon Kendall struck out all nine batters she faced against the Panthers. Amber Rodriguez went 4-for-4 with two doubles and five RBIs against the Vikings. 

Team leaders

CategoryMerritt Island ChristianSeffner Christian
Batting averageTori Colvard .429Anna Burnside .500
RBIsKendall Delaney 20Amber Rodriguez 25
Home runsTori Colvard, Shae Janke 1Shannon Kendall 2
ERASydney Toukonen 6.64Shannon Kendall 3.19
StrikeoutsSydney Toukonen 119Shannon Kendall 106

Shorecrest (8-6) at Academy at the Lakes (16-4), 6

The Chargers got past Indian Rocks Christian 2-1 in the 2A-10 district semifinals to make the playoffs. The Wildcats, who won consecutive state titles in 2017-18, took the 2A-9 district title with a 14-1 win over Hernando Christian in the semifinals and a 3-1 victory over Seven Rivers Christian in the final. Juliana Riles went a combined 6-for-8 with a double, four RBIs and three runs scored during the tournament. 

Team leaders

CategoryShorecrestAcademy at the Lakes
Batting averageN/AMolly Blackwood .467
RBIsN/AMolly Blackwood 23
Home runsN/AMolly Blackwood, Juliana Riles 1
ERAN/AKatie Ferguson 2.85
StrikeoutsN/ASydney Klein 57

Seven Rivers Christian (13-5) at Canterbury (18-9), 6

The Warriors beat Bishop McLaughlin 10-0 in the 2A-9 semifinals to qualify for the postseason. The Crusaders, ranked No. 1 in the classification by MaxPreps, are poised for a state title run. They were dominant in the 2A-10 tournament, beating St. Petersburg Catholic and Shorecrest by a combined 28-2 for the title. Alayah Pederson had two homers and six RBIs against the Barons. Mackenzie Bergstrom threw three perfect innings and recorded seven strikeouts against the Chargers. 

Team leaders

CategorySeven Rivers ChristianCanterbury
Batting averageMelody Byers .564Payton Cushman .434
RBIsVictoria Miterko 23Morgen Talley 35
Home runsVictoria Miterko 4Morgen Talley 12
ERAJoy Sullivan 2.19Mackenzie Bergstrom 2.32
StrikeoutsLily Ornelas 60Morgen Talley 104