Lions fall to powerhouse Canterbury

Westminster Academy’s softball team finally cleared a major hurdle this season by breaking through to the state semifinals for the first time since 1999 — the year the school won its lone state championship.

On Tuesday night, the Lions saw how tall the next hill to climb will be.

The Lions (17-12) could not contain the potent lineup of four-time state champion St. Petersburg Canterbury during an 11-0 loss in five innings in a Class 2A state semifinal at Legends Way Ball Fields in Clermont.

The Crusaders (22-9) advanced to play will vie Jacksonville University

Christian on Wednesday night in the Class 2A final.

Westminster Academy mustered only three hits — two of which came with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning — while Canterbury did the bulk of its damage with eight runs in the top of that inning, prompting the 10-run mercy rule.

Canterbury totaled 13 hits overall highlighted by a two-run home run by sophomore Alayah Pederson and triples by Tayten Moore and Mackenzie Bergstrom in the fifth.

“We felt like last year was supposed to be our year since we had a senior pitcher and hadn’t graduated anybody [from the year before] ... and then COVID hit,” Westminster Academy coach Casey

Jarvis said. “We knew this team had two really strong pitchers we would face, but I’m super proud of the way this team battled.”

The Lions, who made it as far as the regional finals twice during their 22-year state tournament drought, found their path halted often by crosstown powerhouse Westminster Christian. Last season, Westminster Academy moved to Class 2A and away from their nemesis. But the onset of the pandemic ended the season early.

Despite returning an experienced squad with six seniors, the Lions did not have a true pitcher entering the 2021 season.

So Jarvis helped junior infielder Kamryn Casey learn to pitch. She and eighth-grader Dianna

Montidoro, a shortstop who pitched only on occasion for fun according to Jarvis, became the team’s starting rotation.

Backed up by a lineup which produced 40 runs in three regional playoff wins, Westminster finally broke through to state.

“I’m super proud of [Montidoro],” Jarvis said. “She’s not a strikeout pitcher but when she hits her spots and changes speeds she keeps us in tight games.”

But on Tuesday, the Lions were shut out for only the second time this season and failed to capitalize on early chances to keep the game close.

The Lions do return eight core underclassmen, which makes Jarvis hopeful for a return trip to state in 2022.