The softball playoffs continue with Tuesday’s region semifinal games. Admission is $7. Here is the schedule with outlooks for each area game, as well as team leaders for each matchup.
Class 7A
Newsome (26-2) at Lakewood Ranch (25-1), 7
This is more like a state championship game. After all, both teams are ranked among the top three in the classification, the top five overall in the state and the top 12 nationally by MaxPreps. They met in the 7A-12 district final. The top-ranked Mustangs handed the Wolves their only loss of the season. Newsome rebounded by beating Palm Harbor University 7-6 in last week’s region quarterfinals. Trailing 6-3, the Wolves rallied with three runs in the fifth inning to tie it and the winning run in the seventh to advance to the region semifinals and set up the rematch. Karley Shelton and Katy Bradbourne each homered and Samantha Walz scored two runs, including the winner in the seventh.
Team leaders
| Category | Newsome | Lakewood Ranch |
| Batting average | Jadeyn Ruszkowski .522 | Cassidy McLellan .517 |
| RBIs | Karley Shelton 43 | Ella Coiner, Cassidy McLellan 31 |
| Home runs | Karley Shelton 12 | Ella Coiner, Cassidy McLellan 6 |
| ERA | Maria Brooks 0.55 | Olivia Laney 0.63 |
| Strikeouts | Kelsey Winters 171 | Olivia Laney 125 |
Class 6A
Sunlake (10-8) at Mitchell (20-6), 7
This is the third time the teams have met this season. The Mustangs won the previous two in convincing fashion, outscoring the Seahawks by a combined 19-3 in both contests. The last meeting, Mitchell jumped out to a 6-0 lead and cruised to a 6-1 victory in the 6A-10 district final. Vanessa Neptune led the Mustangs by going 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.
Team leaders
| Category | Sunlake | Mitchell |
| Batting average | Kendra Falby .679 | Sydney Fowler .427 |
| RBIs | Larken Maseda 20 | Vanessa Neptune 23 |
| Home runs | Larken Maseda, Bella Sanchez 1 | Kinnah Kreidler 3 |
| ERA | Mikayla Hoschak 3.50 | Ashley Altman 1.88 |
| Strikeouts | Mikayla Hoschak 66 | Sydney Fowler 99 |
Durant (25-3) at Bartow (17-2), 7:30
The Cougars are a combined 23-2 the past two seasons and enter the region semifinals on a nine-game win streak. That success is due in large part to an offense that is averaging 11 runs per game this year. Now comes the tough part. Durant faces the Yellow Jackets, who are ranked No. 2 in the classification and No. 4 overall in the state by MaxPreps.
Team leaders
| Category | Durant | Bartow |
| Batting average | Shelby Allen .579 | Katelynn Oxley .402 |
| RBIs | Emily Smith 30 | Morgan Grubb 25 |
| Home runs | Bricelyn Bedenbaugh, Emily Smith 4 | Morgan Grubb 5 |
| ERA | Haleigh Thomas 1.83 | Katelynn Oxley 0.75 |
| Strikeouts | Haleigh Thomas 92 | Katelynn Oxley 281 |
Class 5A
Pasco (7-8) at Auburndale (21-3), 7
After starting 2-6, the Pirates have won five of their last seven games, including victories over Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes in the regular season and over Sumner in last week’s region quarterfinals. Mariah Bennett, Cat Durden and Kelsey Kadlub each had two hits against the Stingrays. The Bloodhounds, ranked No. 2 in the classification, have allowed just 22 runs all season.
Team leaders
| Category | Pasco | Auburndale |
| Batting average | Cat Durden .429 | Kassidy Pontbriant .431 |
| RBIs | Kelsey Kadlub 16 | Johnkiria Bland 22 |
| Home runs | Kelsey Kadlub 3 | Kassidy Pontbriant 3 |
| ERA | Laci Carter 4.08 | Gena Stutz 0.59 |
| Strikeouts | Laci Carter 32 | Gena Stutz 127 |
Land O’ Lakes (21-7) at River Ridge (22-5), 7
This is the third meeting between the rivals. The Royal Knights won the previous two, including a 5-3, nine-inning thriller in the 5A-5 district final. In that game, Katey Hauschen hit a walkoff, two-run homer. Both dominated their region quarterfinal games to set up another matchup. River Ridge beat Osceola 10-3 and Land O’ Lakes blanked Seminole 8-0.
Team leaders
| Category | Land O’ Lakes | River Ridge |
| Batting average | Nehanda Lewis .479 | Brooke Blankenship .556 |
| RBIs | Nehanda Lewis 38 | Sophie Johnson 33 |
| Home runs | Nehanda Lewis, Hannah Purcell 3 | Brooke Blankenship, Sophie Johnson 6 |
| ERA | Mia Fields 1.64 | Jordan Sheets 1.68 |
| Strikeouts | Mia Fields 53 | Victoria Nearing 86 |
Class 4A
Wesley Chapel (13-13) at Hernando (23-4), 7
The host Leopards won the previous two matchups this season, beating the Wildcats 6-5 in eight innings two months ago and 9-0 in the 4A-9 district title game two weeks ago. Hernando reached double digits in hits in both games. The Wildcats have a powerful offense, too. They scored 12 runs to upset Nature Coast in the 4A-9 semifinals and 15 in a win over Dunedin in last week’s region quarterfinals.
Team leaders
| Category | Wesley Chapel | Hernando |
| Batting average | Ashley Garrison .478 | Solaris Genberg .471 |
| RBIs | Ashley Garrison 30 | Olivia Townsend 36 |
| Home runs | Kadence Means 6 | Olivia Townsend 5 |
| ERA | Gabriella Gonzalez-Villegas 3.80 | Ava Braswell 1.52 |
| Strikeouts | Makenna Rice 40 | Ava Braswell 65 |
Robinson (23-4) at Lake Region (17-11), 7:30
Both teams are ranked among the top six in the classification by MaxPreps (the Thunder are No. 6 and the Knights are No. 4). Robinson has won 12 of its past 13 games. The offense is a big reason for that success. The Knights have reached double digits in runs in nine of those games.
Team leaders
| Category | Robinson | Lake Region |
| Batting average | Jordan Stephens .544 | Raelyn Roland .420 |
| RBIs | Destiny DeHoyos 43 | Kaley Fail 19 |
| Home runs | Destiny DeHoyos 10 | Raelyn Roland 3 |
| ERA | Alyssa Boorom 2.60 | Alex Wright 1.58 |
| Strikeouts | Olivia Van Zandt 66 | Alex Wright 94 |
Class 3A
Cypress Creek (16-5) at Lakeland McKeel Academy (19-7), 4:30
The big matchup will be Coyotes pitcher Hailey Vazquez, who has a 1.20 ERA and 165 strikeouts this season, going up against a Wildcats offense that is averaging more than nine runs per game and has scored a combined 41 runs in the last three contests.
Team leaders
| Category | Cypress Creek | McKeel Academy |
| Batting average | Mandy Schwartz .531 | Charli Warren .559 |
| RBIs | Mandy Schwartz 26 | Kyndal Cornelius 44 |
| Home runs | Mandy Schwartz 11 | Kerissa Howell 5 |
| ERA | Haley Vazquez 1.20 | Annalyse Torres 3.68 |
| Strikeouts | Haley Vazquez 165 | Skyler Hodges 116 |
Calvary Christian (21-5) at Academy of the Holy Names (19-5), 7
This has turned into one of the most competitive rivalries in the area. The teams met three times already this season. The Jaguars hold a 3-2 in the series so far this season, though both wins were decided by a run, including a walkoff, sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh in the 3A-11 district final two weeks ago.
Team leaders
| Category | Calvary Christian | Academy of the Holy Names |
| Batting average | Leah Jarnac .642 | Rachael Petrarca .500 |
| RBIs | Leah Jarnac 37 | Camryn Feast, Annabelle Sardja 19 |
| Home runs | Leah Jarnac 5 | Rachael Petrarca 2 |
| ERA | Malia Connelly 2.12 | Keala Hollenkamp 1.47 |
| Strikeouts | Malia Connelly 62 | Annabelle Sardja 73 |
Class 2A
Holy Trinity Episcopal (13-9) at Seffner Christian (17-6), 5
The Crusaders have on a roll, winning seven straight and 11 of their last 12. Defense and pitching are big factors in Seffner Christian posting shutouts in the last four games. Keeping the Tigers off the scoreboard could be tough considering they are averaging more than 10 runs per game.
Team leaders
| Category | Holy Trinity | Seffner Christian |
| Batting average | Shea Dimmer .612 | Anna Burnside .492 |
| RBIs | Shea Dimmer 41 | Amber Rodriguez 26 |
| Home runs | Shea Dimmer 10 | Shannon Kendall 3 |
| ERA | Shea Dimmer 3.48 | Shannon Kendall 3.03 |
| Strikeouts | Cali Perillo 67 | Shannon Kendall 113 |
Academy at the Lakes (17-4) at Canterbury (19-9), 6
This is the fifth straight time the teams have met in the region semifinals. The Crusaders won the first three en route to making the state semifinals. The Wildcats won the last two during their state championship seasons (2018-19). Canterbury enters as the No. 1 ranked team in the classification according to MaxPreps.
Team leaders
| Category | Academy at the Lakes | Canterbury |
| Batting average | Molly Blackwood .444 | Payton Cushman .438 |
| RBIs | Molly Blackwood 23 | Morgen Talley 36 |
| Home runs | Molly Blackwood, Juliana Ries 1 | Morgen Talley 12 |
| ERA | Katie Ferguson 2.62 | Mackenzie Bergstrom 2.18 |
| Strikeouts | Sydney Klein 59 | Morgen Talley 109 |
