LONGWOOD — Sometimes the results of a game can be described quite simply as in this case. Pace got one clutch hit, Bartow got none.
That one line is why Bartow could not rally for the win as Pace prevailed, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon in the championship game of the 2026 FHSAA Class 6A Softball State Championships at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park.
It was the second consecutive win for Pace over Bartow as the teams met in 2024. It leaves Bartow (28-4) stalled at nine state titles.
The game was decided in the first inning, and Bartow coach Glenn Rutenbar took the blame. K Pierce and Gracie Ueberroth led off with back-to-back singles off Bartow pitcher Ryleigh Knowlton. After a pop-out, Kylie Reed walked to load the bases.
Then on an 0-2 pitch, Britten Kettler doubled to center field to drive in two runs. Reed scored on a sacrifice in which Alyssa Hillman nearly had her thrown out at home after recording the out at first. That was it for Pace’s scoring.
“It was 0-2 and I’m calling off the plate curveball,” Rutenbar said. “I wish I could take that back. I take the blame for that. I take the blame. We stayed inside after that, and she really did well.”
Knowlton allowed just one hit the rest of the game and did not walk another batter.
Bartow had its chances.
In the fifth inning, Bartow loaded the bases on two walks and Emma Huffman’s two-out, bunt single. The inning ended on Niamah Johnson’s pop out to short.
In the sixth inning, Bailee Ellis reached on a walk, and Knowlton and Maddie Hamilton hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with no outs. Hillman, who reached base three times, drew a walk to drive in Bartow’s only run of the game. The next two batters struck out, and Lexi Hayford flew out to right to end the inning.
“When the bases are loaded, no outs, and it’s 3-1, and we strike out twice, that was tough,” Rutenbar said. “We don’t want it to happen, but it happens.”
Bartow didn’t go down easy in the seventh. Johnson singled with one out, and reached second on Knowlton’s two-out single. Hamilton, however, hit back up the middle to the pitcher to end the inning.
“We started out hitting the ball — it’s not like we were striking out — but nothing hard,” Rutenbar said. “The last three innings, we started hitting the ball. I like that fight in them. Our team never gives up. We’re not going to give up, so that’s good. We needed to do more.”
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: State softball | One big hit dooms Bartow as Pace prevails in Class 6A final
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
