JACKSONVILLE - In a district final marred by errors, the Oakleaf High baseball team lost a 17-4 decision to Fletcher High in the district 2-8A championship game Friday night at Atlantic Coast High School.

“We just couldn’t get a feel for it tonight. It looks like we may have had that hangover from a big game Tuesday (3-2 victory over defending district champion Atlantic Coast in district semifinal),” said Oakleaf High coach Chris Lannom, who repeats as district runnerup. “We moved some guys around, my shortstop made some errors, we made four errors, five errors by the second inning, you can’t win like that.”

Despite the loss, Oakleaf (18-7) continues into the region playoffs with a trip to Tallahassee Lincoln (21-6), who repeats as district 1-8A champion, on Tues., May 9 while Fletcher hosts 2-8A runnerup Tallahassee Chiles (15-11). In the bottom end of the region 1-8A bracket, 3-8A champion Ocala Forest (15-11, state semifinalist in 2016) hosts 4-8A runnerup Freedom High (4-20) and 4-8A champion Wharton (16-8) hosts 3-8A runnerup Ocoee High (18-8).

From the top of the first inning where Oakleaf hit the second batter with a pitch, the Knights just never got going as Fletcher closed out the game in 6 innings, 17-4.

The frustration really settled in when Fletcher went on a four-run rally in the top of the second inning. With a grounder, deep ball to right and a walk, Fletcher loaded the bases with no outs. Then using all hits, Fletcher put up the four runs. The wind was a major factor and both team’s fielders were challenged.

“Well, they hit the ball quite well several times,” said Lannom. “Especially tonight, the wind, it just seemed every time they came up, the wind just started blowing out. So, you know, that’s baseball. Sometimes they get hit over your head.”

Up 5-1, Fletcher came to bat in the top of the fourth inning and Oakleaf couldn’t seem to end the inning. Once they did, Fletcher was up 10-1.

If the Knights wanted to play a full game, they needed something fast. That came in the bottom of the fourth when the Knights had a spark. After a Tristan Adams single, Justin Wager popped out to center. Zach Coon walked, but not before Adams stole second, then stole third, both times head first sliding. It was during these plays when the Adams, the Knights’ shortstop, sustained an injury to his hand. Chris Mauloni hit a hard grounder to right field to score Adams. Ty Andrews was next hitting a fielder’s choice, getting out but scoring Coon and Mauloni. Now only down by seven, things looked like they could still swing Oakleaf’s way.

The Knights held on defensively through the top of the fifth not allowing any more runs.

In the bottom of the fifth, Oakleaf couldn’t do anything with the walk and another hit batter on base.

In the top of the sixth, the wheels came off. The Senators put up another seven runs. Without Oakleaf scoring at least three runs, it would be all over. When the leadoff batter, Chris Mauloni was walked, the team saw a glimmer of hope. That was until the next two batters struck out and the final batter grounded out, ending the game due to the 10-run mercy rule.

“We’re just going to go back to practice and remind ourselves who we are,” said Lannom. “You never want to lose like that in a district championship game. When we get them in practice I’ll remind them on Monday, I’ll remind them about the things we could have done and opportunities we didn’t take advantage of, things like that.”