The softball playoffs continue with Friday’s region final games. Admission is $7. Here is the schedule with outlooks for each area game, as well as team leaders for each matchup.
Class 6A
Mitchell (21-6) at Venice (24-4), 7
Both teams are ranked among the top eight in the classification by MaxPreps (the Mustangs are No. 7 and the Indians are No. 8). Mitchell, which has won nine straight, is playing in the region final for just the second time in school history. Venice handed national powerhouse Lakewood Ranch its only loss of the season. Two of the Indians’ four losses were by a run in extra innings.
Team leaders
| Category | Mitchell | Venice |
| Batting average | Sydney Fowler .440 | Kayleigh Roper .506 |
| RBIs | Vanessa Neptune 24 | Kayleigh Roper 44 |
| Home runs | Kinnah Kreidler 3 | Kayleigh Roper 13 |
| ERA | Ashley Altman 1.88 | Micaela Hartman 2.16 |
| Strikeouts | Sydney Fowler 100 | Karsyn Rutherford 63 |
Viera (16-6) at Durant (18-2), 7
Since taking over in 2018, Cougars coach Olivia Cuellar has led the program to a 40-8 overall record. In the region semifinals, Durant had perhaps its biggest win during that span, beating powerhouse Bartow on the road in extra innings to advance. Despite going 6-5 since the start of April, the Hawks have won the ones that mattered most. Each of their last three wins have come via shutouts.
Team leaders
| Category | Viera | Durant |
| Batting average | Sylvia Burroughs .559 | Shelby Allen .550 |
| RBIs | Skylar Waggoner 26 | Emily Smith 30 |
| Home runs | Jayce Jackson 7 | Bricelyn Bedenbaugh, Emily Smith 4 |
| ERA | Skylar Waggoner 1.50 | Haleigh Thomas 1.74 |
| Strikeouts | Skylar Waggoner 184 | Haleigh Thomas 97 |
Class 5A
Land O’ Lakes (22-7) at Palmetto (14-7), 7
This is the first time the Gators advanced to the region final since 2018 when the program made the last of their three straight state semifinal appearances. Much like those teams, defense and pitching have been the difference. Land O’ Lakes has allowed just one run so far in the postseason. The Tigers have won five straight, including four each by a run.
Team leaders
| Category | Land O’ Lakes | Palmetto |
| Batting average | Nehanda Lewis .480 | Courtney Waldo .507 |
| RBIs | Nehanda Lewis 38 | Courtney Waldo, Whitney Waldo 19 |
| Home runs | Nehanda Lewis, Hannah Purcell 3 | Whitney Waldo 3 |
| ERA | Mia Fields 1.58 | Desiree Aitken 1.97 |
| Strikeouts | Mia Fields 56 | Desiree Aitken 50 |
Class 4A
Hernando (24-4) at Lake Region (18-11), 7
The Leopards have been dominant, outscoring foes by a combined 64-5 during their current five-game win streak. In Tuesday’s region final, Hernando jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first two innings en route to a 14-2 victory over Wesley Chapel. Hannah Lynch went 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and three runs scored. The Thunder have won five straight, including a 4-1 victory over Robinson in the region semifinals.
Team leaders
| Category | Hernando | Lake Region |
| Batting average | Solaris Genberg .493 | Raelyn Roland .413 |
| RBIs | Olivia Townsend 37 | Kaley Fail 20 |
| Home runs | Olivia Townsend 5 | Raelyn Roland 3 |
| ERA | Ava Braswell 1.59 | Alex Wright 1.54 |
| Strikeouts | Ava Braswell 65 | Alex Wright 97 |
Class 3A
Lakeland McKeel Academy (20-7) at Academy of the Holy Names (16-5), 7
The Jaguars have won 11 straight, including a pair of walk off victories against rival Calvary Christian, the latest coming in Tuesday’s region semifinals. Annabelle Sardja has thrown consecutive shutouts and has allowed a combined five hits so far in the playoffs. After winning three straight slugfests, the Wildcats showed they can prevail in tight, low-scoring games, too, beating Cypress Creek 3-0 in the region semifinals.
Team leaders
| Category | McKeel Academy | Academy of the Holy Names |
| Batting average | Charli Warren .552 | Rachael Petrarca .485 |
| RBIs | Kyndal Cornelius 44 | Annabelle Sardja 20 |
| Home runs | Kerissa Howell 5 | Rachael Petrarca 2 |
| ERA | Annalyse Torres 3.43 | Keala Hollenkamp 1.47 |
| Strikeouts | Skyler Hodges 116 | Annabelle Sardja 78 |
Class 2A
Canterbury (20-9) at Fort Myers Evangelical Christian (21-4), 5
Since the district two weeks ago, the Crusaders have demolished the competition in 2A, winning their past four by a combined 47-2. Morgen Talley hit two homers in Tuesday’s region semifinal win over Academy at the Lakes and now has 14 on the season, tied with one another for the second-most in the state.
Team leaders
| Category | Canterbury | Evangelical Christian |
| Batting average | Payton Cushman .444 | Kylie Shaw .638 |
| RBIs | Morgen Talley 42 | Zoe Yzaguirre 37 |
| Home runs | Morgen Talley 14 | Zoe Yzaguirre 6 |
| ERA | Mackenzie Bergstrom 2.08 | Zoe Yzaguirre 1.93 |
| Strikeouts | Morgen Talley 109 | Zoe Yzaguirre 212 |
Seffner Christian (18-6) at Mount Dora (19-8), 7
The Crusaders, ranked No. 8 in the classification by MaxPreps, are one away from their first state semifinal appearance. Shannon Kendall, the team’s ace, has allowed just two runs in her last four starts. She also is showing some power at the plate with homers in three of the last four games, including both postseason contests. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 4 in the classification, have won five straight, all by four or more runs.
Team leaders
| Category | Seffner Christian | Mount Dora |
| Batting average | Anna Burnside .493 | Leah Marshall .483 |
| RBIs | Amber Rodriguez 26 | Leah Marshall 38 |
| Home runs | Shannon Kendall 4 | Emily Allen 10 |
| ERA | Shannon Kendall 2.94 | Wynter Craft 2.26 |
| Strikeouts | Shannon Kendall 121 | Leah Marshall 95 |
