ORANGE PARK - In a night that secured district finals, junior high softball and baseball conference finals and a couple of regular season high school softball games, it was Oakleaf High's softball team that had the big win on the night with 3-2 nailbiter win over Baldwin High that took the top game prize.
Baldwin, 14-4, ranked fourth in 2A and 26th in Florida and a Final Four finisher the last three seasons, visited Oakleaf, 9-15, with a four game win streak, and left with the loss that came in the ninth inning off an Avery Garcia walk after the Knights got the bases loaded off a walk, a Ava Tolbert single and a wild pitch to set up Garcia's dramatic four-pitch walk off Baldwin pitcher Hayden Peebles Peebles battled with Oakleaf senior Charlotte Maddox with Maddox nailing 11 strikeouts and Peebles whiffing 14 batters. Oakleaf, with wins in their last three games; Keystone Heights, Ridgeview and Baldwin, finishes their season at 7A-Creekside on Thursday, April 17.
Around the county, Lakeside Junior High softball (11-2) beat Green Cove Springs 12-2 behind nine strikeouts from pitcher Liliana Johnston to advance to the Northeast Florida Athletic Conference championship game against Baker County at Orange Park High on Thursday, April 17. Green Cove Springs Junior High baseball (13-0) beat Oakleaf Junior High 17-2 off 10 hits and 17 RBIs to advance to their final also against Baker County on Thurday, April 17 at Oakleaf Junior High School.
In high school baseball districts, No. 1 St. Johns Country Day School beat Christ's Church Academy 12-2 off a homer from Nick Bowden and 3RBIs to advance to their district 4-1A final against No. 2 seed St. Joseph Academy. St. Johns is ranked No. 1 in Class 1A with St. Joseph Academy ranked No. 6.
In district 5-3A, Ridgeview (9-13) defeated Middleburg 9-5 to advance to that championship game at No. 1 seed Columbia (14-10). Columbia survived a 1-0 win over Fleming Island in their semifinal.
At Clay High, the Blue Devils (17-9) blasted to a nine run first inning en route to an 18-3 district 3-4A win over Riverside (3-18) with back to back two run homers from Ethan McMahan and LJ Martin. Clay hosts Baker County (10-14) on Thursday, April 17 in that district final.
In district 4-2A, No. 1-Keystone Heights (18-7) beat Interlachen 13-6 to advance to that final against No. 3 Trinity Catholic (10-16).
Orange Park's season ended with a 10-7 loss to Ponte Vedra with Oakleaf losing a 5-4 game to Ocala Forest.
In regular season softball action also at Ridgeview on Tuesday, the Lady Panthers (7-14) took a 12-3 win over Orange Park with five doubles on the night; Saige Bialek, Nichole Deschamps, KK Watts and two from Bella Jeffers.
Clay High (13-7) beat Bradford 11-1 on Monday behind eight runs in the fourth inning. Kaelye Rouw had a homer and 3RBIs. Clay visits Fleming Island on Thursday, April 17.