Two move on: Northeast Florida softball schools reach final four

A rematch of softball giants delivered drama again. Ryleigh Stone knocked in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning and Columbia overcame Baker County 6-2 in the Florida High School Athletic Association Region 1-4A softball semifinals on May 14, punching a Tiger ticket for the final four. A two-run fifth with RBI singles from Stone and Addy Sherman for the Tigers (27-3) made the difference in a contest of Florida's two highest-ranked schools in Class 4A.

Stone also added two insurance runs with a two-RBI triple in the sixth, moments after an apparent Baker County catch for a third out was nullified when umpires ruled the catch to be inside a photography box and thus out of play. Stone (4 for 4 with four RBI) excelled in the circle as well, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth by forcing Baker County senior Baleigh Shields to ground out to shortstop Alannah Lord. Chloe Johnson went 2 for 3 for Baker County (24-3), which moved in front after an error in the third inning before the Tigers rebounded on RBI singles from Lord and Stone.

Columbia had previously defeated Baker County 7-4 in districts on April 30. The Tigers advance to the May 21 state semifinal at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, north of Orlando. Columbia is seeking a second FHSAA title after winning it all in 2013 on a team powered by future University of Florida slugger Kayli Kvistad.

REGION 1-3A The home run parade continued for Wakulla junior Parker Stubbs, who belted the 14th and 15th home runs of her season to defeat Paxon 13-2 in Crawfordville. Paxon (17-8) seized an early lead when Kassidy Edwards' groundout scored Makiyah Lester, but six errors derailed the evening for the Golden Eagles. Stubbs homered in her first at-bat to set the tone in a five-run bottom of the first, and Hunter also drove in three RBI as the War Eagles (25-4) advanced to a May 21 semifinal game.