Suicide squeeze lifts South Walton baseball to 3A state title

FORT MYERS — The South Walton suicide squeeze ... that's what they'll call the play that delivered the Seahawks baseball program its first state title. Tied at 5 with North Broward Prep in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out, the bases juiced and Declan Fowler barreling down on home plate, Hudson Quinn laid down a perfect bunt between the pitcher and third baseman to score Fowler and give the Seahawks that elusive state title with a 6-5 win.

FINAL | South Walton 6, North Broward Prep 5 South Walton executes the suicide squeeze and wins the 3A State Championship in walk-off fashion. @SWseahawks | @FHSAA pic. twitter.

com/L6UNeqDXoT — Prep Baseball Florida (@PrepBaseballFL) May 15, 2026 Gone is the stigma of South Walton always finishing second after back-to-back state title losses. Gone is the drought of state titles for area Okaloosa County and Walton County programs. Fittingly it was Borthwick's crew to do it, the Seahawks capping a perfect 9-0 postseason where they outscored foes 78-11.

But on Thursday night at Hammond Stadium they had to sweat. Up 5-2 entering the top of the seventh inning on the backs of a six-inning gem by Denton Lord and four-run third frame, South Walton saw a familiar brand of heartbreak returning as the Eagles had four straight singles off Lord to plate three and put the go-ahead run at first base. In came Parker Granse, who the night before earned the six-out save and narrowly stayed under the 30-pitch cap to be available for Thursday.