Senior Addy Sherman hit the walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning and top seed Columbia survived a near-stunner from Seminole, winning 6-5 in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A high school softball semifinals.
Columbia, ranked No. 6 in all of Florida and No. 1 in Class 4A, overcame deficits of 4-1 in the fifth inning and 5-3 in the seventh to fend off the upset bid of Seminole. The Warhawks (19-9) had entered at No. 139 in Florida.
The Tigers (28-3), winners of their last 15, remain alive in pursuit of a second FHSAA title to join their 2013 championship. They meet Lake Wales or Key West at 10 a.m. May 23 at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood.
Two outs from elimination, Columbia finally found a rhythm at the plate in the bottom of the seventh. Josie Raulerson singled and scored on Emily Delgado’s double. After Ryleigh Stone hit a ground ball and Delgado beat out the throw to third, Ava Christie tied it 5-5 with an RBI single.
Marlee Hunt then singled to load the bases before Warner University commit Sherman, whose .225 batting average was the lowest of Columbia’s starters, came through under pressure with the walk-off hit.
The Warhawks grabbed the lead in a three-run third, including an RBI double by Grace Rapson and RBI singles by Natalia Gipson and Kaydin Whittenton. Columbia closed the gap in the fifth with Delgado’s sac fly and Stone’s RBI single but left two on board.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Columbia walks off winner vs. Seminole. What’s next for Tigers?
Reporting by Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
