Area teams battle for Class 2A region title
Wins by four Orlando area softball teams Wednesday in Florida High School Athletic Association regional quarterfinal outings assures one local team a spot in the Class 2A state tournament later this month in Clermont.
Three games next week will decide which team it will be.
The First Academy hosts Orlando Christian Prep and Mount Dora Christian is home vs. Foundation Academy in 2A Region 2 semifinal games Tuesday. The winners meet in the regional final round next Friday.
TFA, the No. 1 seed, defeated Lecanto Seven Rivers 6-3 on Wednesday. Hannah Harper went 3-for-4 with a double and Molly Sheridan was 3-for-3 with an RBI. Grace Grant had a 2-RBI hit in the win.
Grace Thomas struck out 9 batters while allowing 1 hit in five innings pitched for No. 5 OCP during a 12-1 win at The Geneva School. Thomas also went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Naya Rosario finished 2-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBIs and Yamilette Cordova was 2-for-3 with a double.
The First Academy blanked OCP 4-0 in the District 7 championship game last week.
Mount Dora Christian and Foundation Academy will meet for the third time this season. The Bulldogs won 16-6 on Feb. 28 and 13-3 on March 25.
Katie Bayly led Mount Dora Christian to a 15-0 win vs. Deltona Trinity Christian while going 3-for-3 with 3 RBIs. Brooke Chatham went 2-for-3 and Abigail Turner hit a home run.
Foundation scored 3 runs in the third inning before hanging on for a 4-3 win vs. Ocala Trinity Christian. Freshman Elizabeth Ozim was 2-for-3 with a home run and 3 RBIs. Eighth-grader Riley Winters struck out 7 batters and allowed just 4 hits after giving up 3 runs in the first inning.
No. 7 seed Cornerstone Charter scored a 6-2 upset of No. 2 Montverde Academy and Windermere Prep, a state runner-up last year, defeated Umatilla 10-0 in 3A Region 2 quarterfinals.
Addison Jackson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored for Cornerstone. Gracelyn Wallace went 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored while also striking out 9 batters and allowing no hits in five innings pitched for Windermere.
Defending state champion Eustis will host Bishop Moore on Tuesday in a rematch of the 4A
District 7 championship game. The Panthers won 4-2 last week and 2-0 on March 8.
Eustis advanced with a 13-0 win vs. Palm Bay Bayside. Ainsley Perdicaris was 3-for-3 with a double and Loralie Ellerby went 2-for-2 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs.
REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS Wednesday results Class 4A Region 2
No. 1 Eustis (24-2) d. No. 8 Palm Bay Bayside (6-12), 13-0
No. 5 Bishop Moore (16-10) d. No. 4 Inverness Citrus (15-8), 4-2
No. 2 Deltona (16-3) d. No. 7 Daytona Beach Mainland (11-9), 15-0
No. 3 Rockledge (18-5) d. No. 6 Horizon (17-9), 5-3
Class 3A Region 2
No. 1 Brooksville Hernando (22-4) d. No. 8 The Villages (15-12), 10-0 No. 5 Windermere Prep (10-8) d. No. 4 Umatilla (12-13), 10-0
No. 7 Cornerstone Charter (14-13) d. No. 2 Montverde Academy (17-9), 6-2
No. 6 South Sumter (16-9) d. No. 3 Titusville Astronaut (14-7), 8-1 Class 2A Region 2
No. 1 The First Academy (19-6) d. No. 8 Lecanto Seven Rivers (11-10), 6-3
No. 5 Orlando Christian Prep (20-5) d. No. 4 The Geneva School (12-7), 12-1
No. 2 Mount Dora Christian (19-9) d. No. 7 Deltona Trinity Christian (12-9), 15-0
No. 3 Foundation Academy (16-8) d. No. 6 Ocala Trinity (14-14), 4-3