High school softball: Dixie County Bears inching towards another deep postseason run

The Dixie County Bears softball team danced its way to the big stage last season, making an appearance in the Class 1A Final Four in Clermont, where they were eliminated by in-area foe Fort White, 7-5.

And from that point on, the Bears, who graduated five seniors last season, were focused on making another state championship run.

For Dixie County head coach Greg Wimberley, he felt the key to the Bears making another deep postseason run was simple.

“I think there had become a point in the season that we quit getting better and other teams kept getting better,” Wimberley said of last year. “The focus this year is that we weren’t worrying about the wins and losses category. We were worrying about if we could say every after every game, ‘OK, we’re still on track to be where we want to be at the end of the season.’ ”

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Dixie County finished last season 21-5.

Following their 17-0 run-rule win at P.K. Yonge Tuesday night, the Bears sit at 14-5 and have built a three-game win streak. Dixie County previously had a seven-game streak, which was broken up by a 2-1, extra-inning loss to Branford April 7.

“Branford had our number the other night,” Wimberley said. “But other than that game, I think for the past six or seven games, I think our offense has really come around.”

Peyton Hatcher continues to slug her way through the season

Dixie County senior Peyton Hatcher is a tough out.

Coming into Tuesday’s game, Hatcher boasted a team-leading batting average of .523. And after the win over P.K. Yonge, that number will increase courtesy of a 3-for-3 performance.

“It’s kinda this ‘refuse to lose’ kinda thing,” Wimberley said of Hatcher.

In addition to her consistent performance against the Blue Wave, Hatcher also flexed her ability to clock long balls as she lifted her second home run of the year beyond the centerfield wall in her first at-bat, giving Dixie County an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.

Just like last season, if the Bears want to make another run to state, it won’t only run through the at-bat of Hatcher and her presence behind the plate, but also the presence she has in the dugout and locker room.

“The girls on the team, they respect her,” Wimberley said. “What she says, they take it in more than what I say. And that’s the kind of person she is.”

Fortunately for the Dixie County senior, she doesn’t work alone.

Fellow senior Bria Hinkle and junior Paris Williams also turned in multi-hit nights, while Ava Bechtold knocked an inside-the-park home run and fellow sophomore Katelynn Blevins drove in three RBIs.

Bears have April 27 circled on the calendar

While Dixie County hasn’t obsessed with wins and losses this season, there is one team the Bears would like to pick up wins against – the team that bounced them from a state title berth last season.

Ironically, the Bears had beat Fort White twice in the regular season, but the Indians won when it mattered most.

“That right there has become one of our biggest, to me, rivalries,” Wimberley said. “They put us out last year. And they beat us in the first game this year.”

Dixie County hosted Fort White on Feb. 28, losing 5-2.

And as much as Wimberley and the Bears want their vengeance, there’s a mutual understanding that it’s not all or nothing when they visit Fort White next week.

After all, they learned that firsthand last spring.

“The regular season is great. The wins and loss category is great. It’s great to see your name on MaxPreps in the top five. That’s great,” Wimberley rambled. “But at the end of the day, in Class 1A, once you get to the playoffs, there’s going to be one team that walks out with a win.”

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Dixie County softball's offense continues to roll in 17-0 win over P.K. Yonge