Softball: Pasco County region semifinal breakdown — may 17

Here are the capsules for the Pasco County softball teams playing in tonight’s region semifinals. The winners advance to Friday’s region finals.

Class 6A

Land O’ Lakes (18-10) at Palmetto (12-13), 7

This is a rematch from a game the Gators won 8-7 in eight innings last month. Trailing 6-4, Land O’ Lakes scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and added the winning run an inning later. The defending state finalist Gators have won 10 of their last 11 games. Since that loss to Land O’ Lakes, the Tigers have won three of their last four games, including a 3-1 victory over Sickles, the top-seed in the region. 

Stat leaders
CategoryLand O’ LakesPalmetto
Batting averageMakenna Bellaire, .486Whitney Waldo, .391
Home runsTwo tied with five. Three tied with three.
RBIsMakenna Bellaire, 37Two tied with 19.
ERAAliana Mercado, 1.37Makenna Lee, 2.22
StrikeoutsAliana Mercado, 94Desiree Aitken, 122
Mitchell (17-8) at Bloomingdale (20-5), 7

This is a rematch from a game the Bulls won 2-0 two months ago. In that game, Bloomingdale ace Natalie Cable threw a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts. The Bulls have won six straight games – five via shutouts. The defending state semifinalist Mustangs, meanwhile, are 2-4 in their last six games. But they have some momentum after beating Sarasota 6-3 in the region quarterfinals. 

Stat leaders
CategoryMitchellBloomingdale
Batting averageKinnah Kreidler, .449Natalie Cable, .472
Home runsKinnah Kreidler, 5Natalie Cable, 7
RBIsKinnah Kreidler, 27Natalie Cable, 24
ERASydney Fowler, 2.08Natalie Cable, 0.31
StrikeoutsSydney Fowler, 78Natalie Cable, 303

Class 5A

River Ridge (15-11) at South Lake (12-5), 7

The Knights snapped a four-game losing streak by beating Springstead 1-0 in the region quarterfinals. Sophie Johnson had two hits and scored the winning run and Jordan Sheets threw a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts. River Ridge travels to Stuart to take on South Fork, which has won its last three games by a combined 31-3. 

Stat leaders
CategoryRiver RidgeSouth Lake
Batting averageSophie Johnson, .474Abbey Moore, .418
Home runsSophie Johnson, 9Two tied with two.
RBIsSophie Johnson, 32Ashley Anderson, 15
ERAJordan Sheets, 1.92Katie Kidwell, 2.87
StrikeoutsJordan Sheets, 126Katie Kidwell, 99

Class 4A

Wesley Chapel (15-8) at Lake Wales (18-7), 7

The Wildcats have won five straight to reach the region semifinals. In the quarterfinals, Kadence Means hit solo homer in the sixth that turned out to be the winning run in a 2-1 victory over Hardee in the region quarterfinals. The Highlanders, ranked fifth in the class by MaxPreps, have allowed a combined two runs during their current five-game win streak. 

Stat leaders

CategoryWesley ChapelLake Wales
Batting averageAva Blakely, .493Sharon Parker, .417
Home runsThree tied with three. Three tied with three.
RBIsKadence Means, 27Presley Smith, 29
ERAMakenna Rice, 1.48Macey Murphy, 1.30
StrikeoutsMakenna Rice, 21Macey Murphy, 88

Class 2A

Academy at the Lakes (14-11) at Canterbury (10-18), 6

For years this was the premier playoff matchup in 2A with the winner often going on to win a state title. The defending state champion Crusaders have won four straight games, including their last three by a combined 36-3. The Wildcats rebounded from a three-game losing to close out the regular season to win their last three by a combined 25-0. 

Stat leaders
CategoryAcademy at the LakesCanterbury
Batting averageAddy Aliano, .434Jadah Nicholls, .400
Home runsMolly Blackwood, 3Two tied with one.
RBIsMolly Blackwood, 23Alayah Pedersen, 22
ERASydney Klein, 3.34Samantha Beltran, 6.64
StrikeoutsSydney Klein, 122Samantha Beltran, 42