Friday Roundup: Navarre softball wins 10th game in 12 tries, PCC playoffs heating up
Note: Is your team missing from the roundup? Be sure to update your MaxPreps page regularly or file stats to the PNJ via email or phone.
Lucas Semb can be reached at lsemb@gannett.com or 850-281-7414.
Patrick Bernadeau can be reached at pbernadeau@gannett.com or 850-503-3828.
Here's a roundup of scores from Friday, April 29, 2022:
Softball
Navarre 19, Catholic 6
There's no stopping this piping hot team. In rolling over Pensacola Catholic, Navarre won its 10th game in 12 tries to close out the regular season. Stats were unavailable.
With that, the Raiders sweep the season series from the Crusaders, having also won the two teams' early-season bout 5-4.
Navarre, seeded third, now awaits No. 2 Niceville at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday in the District 1-6A Tournament. They've split the season series to this point with their most recent game ending in a 10-inning Eagles victory.
Central Christian (Ala.) 24, Aletheia Christian 8 (F/4)
The visiting Saints reaffirmed the fact that they've had the Lions' number this season. After beating Aletheia 19-9 earlier in the season, Central Christian thwarted them again with another run-rule victory.
Of the Saints' 24 runs this time around, 21 came through the first two innings. From there, Aletheia's only option was to fight back. The Lions managed to bring seven runs home in the bottom of the third, but it wasn't nearly enough.
Eighth-grader Violet Martin and sophomore Riley Glazier each had two RBIs despite having just one hit each for Aletheia. Eighth-grader Bella Bookout led the team with free bags by drawing three walks.
The Lions now enter postseason play with a game at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday versus Atmore Christian (Ala.). They beat the Alabama team 7-6 in their one contest this season.
Local player drafted: Pensacola native Martin Emerson drafted by Cleveland with the 68th pick in the draft
Baseball
Fort Walton Beach 15, Pensacola 2 (F/5)
Through 17 games this season, the Tigers have yet to scribble a tally in the win column, capped off by Friday's run-rule loss at home.
The visiting Vikings scored a run in every inning of the contest, bookending the game with a seven-spot in the top of the fifth inning. Stats were unavailable for Pensacola.
It'll have a chance to pick up its first win of the season when it matters most, the playoffs. With a time yet to be decided, the Tigers will square off with Panama City - Bay on Tuesday in the first round of the District 1-4A Tournament.
Panhandle Christian Conference Tournament
L.E.A.D. Academy 20, Emmanuel Christian (Ala.) 3 (F/4)
To open up tournament play, the Lions blasted the Warriors for a season-high 20 runs in advancing to the PCC's East Regional Championship game at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
By scoring 12 runs in the bottom of the first inning, L.E.A.D. asserted itself as superior, proving that furthermore as the game progressed. It had two more dominant innings, scoring four in the second and four more in the fourth.
Junior Matthew Meyn was the key to it all, driving home a sensational seven runs on 3-of-4 from the plate. But as destructive as he was at the dish, the Lions' main ticket was patience.
They drew a whopping 16 walks, as freshman Cameron Bugbee paced the squad with four. Junior Noah Harold and eighth-grader Shelton Enfinger followed with three apiece.
L.E.A.D. now meets with West Florida Baptist on Saturday, a team they are 0-2 against this season.
Local draft: Using Class of '22 and '23 players, here's the Pensacola News Journal's NFL Mock Draft
Central Christian (Ala.) 16, Aletheia Christian 0 (F/4)
A game that was close took a drastically bad turn for the Lions, who were ambushed by the Saints for 15 runs in the bottom of the third. Failing to generate any offense, that would be the straw that broke the camel's back. Aletheia stats were unavailable.
That was Aletheia's third loss to Central Christian this season, getting outscored 35-1 in those meetings. The playoff loss brings its season to a close at 0-12.
West Florida Baptist 18, Santa Rosa Christian 7 (F/6)
Though it was another rout, this one required an explosive sixth inning from the Conquerors for the game to be cut short. Leading just 10-7 headed to the bottom of the sixth frame, WFBA erupted for eight runs to win the game by run rule.
Logan Fisher was the most threatening force at the plate for West Florida Baptist on a day where he was 4-of-5 in the batter's box with three runs and two RBIs. Noah and Owen Beard contributed an additional two RBIs each.
Elsewhere in the lineup, Sawyer Moore and Hudson Tucker reached during every appearance. Moore was 2-for-2 with three walks while Tucker was 2-for-2 with a walk and two hit by pitches. Santa Rosa stats were unavailable.
They now play L.E.A.D. on Saturday morning whom they romped 21-5 in their regular-season finale.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Navarre Raiders win, Panhandle Christian Conference playoffs underway
