Oxbridge Academy stunned as University Christian rallies back

For the first four innings of Tuesday’s Class 2A state softball semifinal, Oxbridge Academy senior pitcher Luna Curran was virtually unhittable.

With Oxbridge Academy (23-2-1) nursing a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth, University Christian (19-8) was able to scratch out its first run of the game without the benefit of a hit as they scored on a bases loaded walk to Kate Dell’alba that scored Amia Matthews.

University Christian, however, scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning en route to stunning the state’s top-ranked team 4-2 at Legends Way Ball Fields in Clermont and move into Wednesday’s state championship game against The First Academy.

It was the most runs the ThunderWolves had allowed in one game all season.

Matthews reached base with one out in the fourth inning when she was hit by a pitch.

Sophia Kardatzke followed with a walk and Curran hit Jaleigha Harris to load the bases setting the stage for Dell’alba’s RBI.

Until then, Curran, who had five no-hitters and two perfect games this season, had tossed three perfect innings with six strikeouts. After opening the bottom of the fourth with a strikeout, she ran into the trouble. Curran finished the day with a three-hitter and struck out 10 batters.

University Christian, who entered the game ranked No. 6 in the state by MaxPreps, took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the sixth as Kardatzke was initially ruled out and then called safe to open the inning after the home plate umpire said Chandler Barry’s foot was off the base at first.

One out later, Dell’alba lined a single to right and moved to second to put runners on second and third. Jahliyah Robinson laid down a bunt that Curran fielded, but the throw home got away, allowing Kardatzke to score the tying run.

Dell’alba was tagged out on the play as she tried to score, but Robinson made it all the way to third on the play. Elissa Murdock drove home Robinson with the go-ahead run on a single to right and she wound up scoring on a single by Erin Hutchens to extend the lead to 4-2.

Oxbridge Academy threatened in the early-going as they loaded the bases in the first and second innings but could only come away with its two runs in the second.

Kardatzke, who finished the game with seven walks, struggled early to find the plate and walked three of the first four batters in the game. She recovered to get the next two batters on strikeouts to end the threat in the first.

In the top of the second, the Thunder Wolves jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Kelley Dever led off with a walk and stole second. She moved to third on a groundout and came around to score when Gabby Edwards laid down a bunt that Dell’alba fielded and threw into right field. Kaiya Glucksman singled to score Edwards for the 2-0 lead.

Alexa Muller reached on a single but was called out for leaving the base too early, ending the threat.

“It was probably the worst game we played all year,” lamented Oxbridge coach Kevin Drake, who has taken the school to the state final four four times in six years and is still chasing his first state championship. “We had seven girls walk in the game and had two girls leave the base too early and were called out. We had two errors that were big in one inning that we never make.

“Luna was good, but she didn’t have her best stuff and I think she ran out of gas,” Drake added. “We had three hits. The middle of the lineup didn’t get a hit. It wasn’t in the stars, I guess. We should have scored early when we had the bases loaded and we only got the two. I don’t know what it is for us to get over the hump to win a state title.”