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Carmen Overstreet’s sixth-inning home run helped Yulee win a Nassau County rivalry for the second time in barely a week, overcoming host West Nassau 3-2 in the Florida High School Athletic Association Region 1-3A softball first round on May 6.
West Nassau (14-12) loaded the bases in the seventh inning with the winning run in scoring position before Paislie Turner notched a strikeout to lift Yulee (12-11) into the May 12 second round. Kyli Mathis and Kierstin Northern got two hits each for the Hornets.
They’ll next meet top-seeded Wakulla (23-4), which had too much power for Wolfson (12-9) in an 8-0 shutout. Cylie Long, Makenzie Marlow and Parker Stubbs all went deep for the War Eagles, who have 33 home runs as a team.
Paxon’s power surge continued with home runs from Maleah Rouse and Amaya Hislop, winning 8-2 against Suwannee (9-15). Kassidy Edwards struck out 12 for the Golden Eagles (16-7) and added two doubles at the plate.
REGION 1-6A
Reigning Gatorade Player of the Year Hannah DeMarcus struck out 14 in a combined no-hitter as Pace (23-4) put the brakes on Nease’s excellent stretch run, 9-0. Nease (11-13) stayed close until an eight-run Patriot fourth, including a three-run blast by Gracie Ueberroth.
REGION 1-5A
Chloe Bailey struck out 13 batters in a one-hitter for Niceville (21-7), beating Fleming Island 3-0 in a game moved up due to potential weather. Carnley Summerlin drove in two for the hosts. Victoria Vazquez got the lone hit for Fleming Island (14-9).
REGION 1-4A
Gracie Masterson and Gabriella Gray combined on a no-hitter as Baker County won 11-0 against Menendez (9-12) in five innings. Mallory Jackson and Baleigh Shields both went 3 for 3 and combined for five runs for the Wildcats (23-2).
They next get Fort Walton Beach (15-12), which used three Anna Beyhl doubles to win 3-1 over St. Augustine. The Yellow Jackets (10-10) rallied in the seventh inning and brought the tying run to scoring position before the hosts escaped.
No. 1 seed Columbia had no trouble in the opener, a 14-0 rout of Escambia (9-16) with a three-inning no-hitter from Kinley King. Alannah Lord tripled for the Tigers (25-3), who scored 11 runs in the first.
Columbia next plays Panama City Beach Arnold (17-10), which got a four-hitter from Ryleigh Pittman to win a 2-1 pitchers’ duel over Clay (10-15) and starting pitcher Malia Collins. Hayley Sexton’s two-run homer in the fourth made the difference.
REGION 2-3A
Eustis piled on with a 13-run third inning and went on to a run-rule 14-0 win over Palatka (14-13). Ella Fleming and Emmy Luke each doubled for Eustis (19-6).
REGION 1-2A
Riley Valent hurled a four-hitter to lead Episcopal over visiting Bishop Snyder, 6-1. Summer Stearns, Ashten Wolff, Claire Cinnamond and Emily Davidson combined for nine hits atop the order for the Eagles (19-5). Caitlyn Boshell homered for the Cardinals (17-10).
Episcopal renews a familiar postseason rivalry with Baldwin, which cruised 13-0 in five innings against Trinity Christian (14-8). Jazmine Ramos-Merced homered and doubled, while Lilly Hubbard threw a one-hitter and added three RBI for Baldwin (20-6).
A Maggie Stephens squeeze bunt in the seventh inning scored Molly Eyrick and gave Bolles the 4-3 win over Bozeman (24-5) in the Panhandle. Madden Lutze pitched a four-hitter and Aleda Cashwell slugged her eighth homer of the year for Bolles (17-8).
REGION 2-2A
Florida State commit Missy Odom hurled a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts as Montverde Academy ended Keystone Heights’ year, 7-0. Colby Reish went 3 for 4 with three RBI for Montverde (19-5). Keystone finishes at 11-16.
REGION 1-1A
Ranked first in Class 1A, University Christian dominated its playoff opener, 16-0 over Rocky Bayou Christian (10-9). Elissa Murdock tripled twice for UC (17-4) and Evey Bryant and Ava Surles each knocked in three RBI.
Next for UC is Christ’s Church, which avenged its district loss in a 12-2 victory at St. Johns Country Day (11-7). Jadah Stubbs finished a triple shy of the cycle in a four-RBI day, and Kaitlyn Tester added three hits for the Eagles (15-7).
Peniel Baptist exited the playoffs in a 13-2 loss against Tallahassee St. John Paul II (17-8). Allison Peacock had the lone hit for Peniel (14-9) against St. John Paul II ace Amanda Thompson.
Also out of postseason is Harvest Community (17-10), which went down 15-0 to Tallahassee North Florida Christian. Skylar Young threw a three-inning no-hitter and hit a grand slam for NFC (19-5).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Softball playoffs: Yulee repeats in county matchup, Paxon, UC advance
Reporting by Clayton Freeman, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
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