Class 9A state champ Douglas ousted by Jupiter

Warriors avenge a 2-1 loss in last year’s regional final to advance

With just one inning of work on the mound all year, Mason Doolittle was called on to deliver Jupiter’s biggest out of the season.

The Warriors’ starting catcher, Doolittle hasn’t pitched regularly since he was 12 years old. But coach Andy Mook was confident the towering LSU signee could close the door on Douglas, which last season had ousted the Warriors en route to state and national titles.

In a Class 9A regional final that was postponed (with the score tied 4-4) after eight innings on Tuesday due to weather, the Warriors on Wednesday afternoon led 6-4 in the bottom of the 11th after scoring twice in the top of the inning.

Down to its final out, Douglas rallied for consecutive two-out singles. With the winning run at the plate, Mook turned to his 6-foot-4, 230-pound catcher.

After a pair of high, outside pitches, the nerves settled and Doolittle delivered.

On a 3-2 count, the senior struck out Chad McDaniel swinging to send Jupiter to the state tournament for the first time since 2013.

Jupiter (22-6-2) will face Orlando Timber Creek in Florida’s Class 9A semifinals on June 2 in Fort Myers.

Mook said in giving the ball to Doolittle, he simply went with his gut.

“I figured if we got to a pressure point, I wanted to give him the opportunity,” he said.

In a rematch of last year’s regional final, which Douglas won 2-1, Jupiter stormed to an early 4-0 lead Tuesday before the Eagles rallied for three runs in the fifth and tied the game in the sixth to force extra innings — and eventually a second day of baseball.

The win was the Warriors’ third straight on the road during these playoffs after being upset in the District 9-9A finals.

TRINITY CHRISTIAN 11, CHRIST’S CHURCH 0: Despite a weather delay of nearly three hours, Trinity Christian made quick work of a familiar state foe to return to the Florida’s Class 2A championship game.

Facing the same team, Jacksonville Christ ’s Church, that they beat last season for their first state title, Trinity Christian earned an 11-0 run-rule semifinal win in five innings at CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers on Wednesday.

Trinity Christian (21-6) will face either Deltona Trinity Christian or Naples Seacrest Country Day at 7:35 p.m. Thursday in the championship game.

Before the delay, Trinity led 3-0 after two innings. Tyler Hall plated a pair with a triple to deep center. He later scored on a wild pitch.

Already with a three-run advantage, the Warriors used a six-run third inning following the delay to push the lead to 9-0. The final two runs scored in the bottom of the fourth on Lernix Williams’ base hit.

Trinity Christian beat Christ’s Church 12-1 in last season’s title game.

NOVA 4, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 3: Nova had to play 12 innings Tuesday night to capture its first state final four berth in 12 years. The Titans will need to wait a bit longer to find out who they’ll face in state semifinals.

The Region1-8A final between Tampa Wharton and Tallahassee Lincoln won’t be played until Friday at 7 p.m. as weather has affected postseason baseball across Florida.

Nova advanced to state for the first time since its 2005 title with a4-3Region 4-8A final victory at home over St. Thomas Aquinas.

Down to their final out, Trace Moore sent the Titans to extra innings with his game-tying base hit in the bottom of the seventh. Leadoff man Isaiah Goodman sent the Titans off a winner with an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the 12th.

Moore, Nova’s junior left-hander, also tossed nine innings on the mound. Julian Cendejas earned the win, pitching the final three.