High school softball: Nine area teams playing this week in regional quarterfinals
Nine teams.
Out of 12.
That’s the number of high school softball teams in Lake and Sumter counties eligible to play for a Florida High School state championship.
Six of those teams — East Ridge, South Lake, Eustis, Umatilla, Mount Dora Christian and Montverde Academy — earned regional quarterfinal berths by winning their district tournaments last week, while the remaining trio — Lake Minneola, The Villages and South Sumter — advanced based on computer rankings.
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Let’s take a look at the local teams.
Class 6A-Region 3
7 p.m., Thursday
Winter Haven (15-11) at East Ridge (18-8)
The Knights won the Class 6A-District 9 tournament last week with a 4-1 win against Kissimmee Osceola. In two district tournament games, East Ridge outscored its opposition 20-2.
Winter Haven rode a six-game winning streak, including back-to-back-back shutouts, into last week’s District 10 championship game against Bartow. However, Bartow snapped the Blue Devils’ run, blanking them 4-0 in the district championship game.
Class 5A-Region 2
7 p.m., Thursday
Okeechobee (12-8) at South Lake (15-11)
South Lake — District 6 champions and the region’s top seed — worked its way through one of the toughest schedules, which included multiple playoff teams. Arguably, its best win of the season was a 1-0 decision against defending Class 4A state championship Eustis.
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The Brahmans — runners-up in District 8 — lost 3-0 to Stuart South Fork for the district championship. Prior to that game, Okeechobee had won five of its previous six games.
Class 5A-Region 2
7 p.m., Thursday
Lake Minneola (15-9) at Stuart South Fork (11-5)
The Hawks, the region’s seventh seed, earned a regional berth based on their computer rankings. Lake Minneola lost to South Lake in last week’s district tournament and once during the regular season, but also knocked off Class 6A East Ridge.
South Fork, the champions from District 8, won eight of its last 10 games, including two games in the district tournament by a cumulative score of 22-0.
Class 4A-Region 2
7 p.m., Wednesday
Palm Bay Bayside (6-11) at Eustis (23-2)
Bayside earned an eight seed in the region, despite its record, which included losing streaks of four and two games.The Bears were outscored 56-7 in the four game losing streak and 24-1 in a two-game skid late in the season.
Eustis has rolled on like a machine this season and is the region’s top seed. The Panthers are riding an 18-game winning streak and have 13 shutouts in that span.
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More softball: Eustis' Libby Levendoski strikes out 18 in shutout vs. Montverde
Class 3A-Region 2
All games 7 p.m., Wednesday, unless indicated
Belle Isle Cornerstone Charter (13-13) at Montverde Academy 17-8
Montverde Academy is the region’s No. 2 seed and the highest seeded of the four local teams in the earning half of the region’s postseason berths. The Eagles earned their spot with a 2-1 win in 13 innings against Windermere Prep for the District 7 championship.
Cornerstone Charter, the No. 7 seed, lost 2-1 to Windermere Prep in the district semifinals. The Ducks played a challenging schedule, which games against Lake Minneola (3-1 win) and Mount Dora Christian Academy (9-2 loss).
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Windermere Prep (9-8) at Umatilla (12-12)
Umatilla earned region’s fourth seed after beating The Villages 9-8 last week in the Class 3A-District 5 championship game. The Bulldogs have won three of their last six games.
Windermere Prep earned an at-large bid after losing an extra-inning heartbreaker to Montverde Academy for the District 7 title. The Lakers have played multiple playoffs teams in various classifications, including Eustis (lost 1-0), South Lake (lost 2-1 and won 2-1), and Orlando Bishop Moore (won 3-2 and 3-0).
South Sumter (15-9) at Titusville Astronaut (14-6)
The Raiders are the region’s No. 6 seed and were the District 6 runners-up, losing 2-1 to Brooksville Hernando in the district championship game. South Sumter was 3-3 this season against Lake and Sumter programs, including wins against Tavares (9-1 and 10-2), and MDCA (9-4), along with losses to MDCA (5-4 in 8 innings), The Villages (3-2 and 4-2).
Astronaut is the third-seeded team in the region. The War Eagles outlasted Cocoa Space Coast 11-10 in 8 innings to win the District 8 title.
The Villages (15-11) at Brooksville Hernando (21-4)
6 p.m., Wednesday
The Buffalo — the region’s No. 8 — have the unenviable task of traveling to play the Leopards, the top-seeded team in the region. The Villages lost three of its last five games, including the district championship contest against Umatilla.
Hernando, has won 12 straight games and scored in double figures in seven of those game outings. The Leopards reached the Class 4A state title game last year before losing to Eustis 5-0.
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Class 2A-Region 2
7 p.m., Wednesday
Deltona Trinity Christian (12-8) at Mount Dora Christian Academy (18-9)
Trinity Christian is the region’s No. 7 seed. The Eagles lost five of last eight games down the stretch, including a 15-0 loss on April 22 against MDCA.
The Bulldogs, the region’s No. 2 seed, have won their last six games. In that span, MDCA has outscored its opponents 56-13.
Winners of regional quarterfinal games will play May 17 in the regional semifinals. Regionals finals are set for May 20 and the state tournament, at Legends Way Ballfields Clermont, will begin May 24.
Tickets for all regional-round games are $7.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: High school softball: Nine area teams playing this week in regionals
