For the first time in several years, depth of talent _ especially on the pitching side _ will take center stage when seven Seminole County baseball teams take to the field for the Regional Quarterfinals this week.
Six local teams, led by Lake Mary’s big upset in Class 7A-District 4, won District Championships last week and will be joined by At Large selection The Geneva School in the Best-of-3 Quarterfinals that began with Classes 1A and 2A on Monday. The bigger schools _ Classes 5A, 6A and 7A _ start their series’ tonight (Wednesday).
In the past, a team with a dominant pitcher could go a long way, usually at least to the State Championship Game, but now you need at least two solid pitchers to get to the Final 4. The new format also gives a team that has a bad night for whatever reason an opportunity to bounce back and advance to the next round.
The higher seeded team in each matchup will get to play the first two games at home, while if the series is tied at 1-1, the winner-take-all game would be at the home of the team the had to travel.
Getting back to the District Tournaments, the Rams (15-13), who entered the Class 7A-District 4 Tournament with a losing record, came to life as the No. 4 seed and won three game in a row, including wins over top-seeded West Orange (19-7), 17-4, and No. 2 Lake Brantley (16-10-1), 3-2, to claim their third consecutive District Championship.
Oviedo (12-15) also pulled off an upset, claiming the Class 6A-District 4 title out of the No. 3 seed.
The other four district champions _ Hagerty (23-3-1) in 7A-3, Winter Springs (23-4) in 5A-6, The Master’s Academy (18-7) in 2A-5 and Orangewood Christian (15-9) in 1A-8 _ all won as the top seed.
Regional Quarterfinal winners will advance to the Semifinals on April 28, 29 & May 1 for Classes 1A and 2A and April 30, May 1 & May 3 for Classes 5A-thru-7A.
Go to _ https://fhsaa.com/sports/baseball _ to find the results and more information.
Here are the District results and Regional schedules:
BASEBALL
Class 1A-District 7
Quarterfinals
Monday, April 14
(4) Altamonte Christian (1-10) 15, (5) Halifax Academy (0-12) 4.
Semifinals
Tuesday, April 15
(1) Deltona-Trinity Academy (12-14) 27, (4) Altamonte Christian (1-11) 2.
(3) Circle Christian (8-14) at (2) Lake Mary Prep (8-12) 1.
Championship
Thursday, April 17
(1) Deltona-Trinity Academy (12-14) 27, (3) Circle Christian (8-15) 1.
Class 1A-District 8
Quarterfinals
Monday, April 14
(4) Legacy Charter (8-10) 13, (5) Central Florida Christian Academy (7-9) 4.
Semifinals
Tuesday, April 15
(1) Orangewood Christian (14-9) 9, (4) Legacy Charter (8-11) 1.
(2) Orlando Christian Prep (10-7) 6, (3) The Geneva School (17-5) 2.
Championship
Thursday, April 17
(1) Orangewood Christian (15-9) 10, (2) Orlando Christian Prep (10-8) 3.
Class 2A-District 5
Quarterfinals
Monday, April 14
(4) Father Lopez (10-14) 3, (5) Taylor (11-8) 2.
(3) Lake Highland Prep (12-14) 15, (6) Crooms Academy (5-10) 0.
Semifinals
Tuesday, April 15
(1) The Master’s Academy (17-7) 14, (4) Father Lopez (10-15) 3.
(2) Trinity Prep (13-6) 11, (3) Lake Highland Prep (12-15) 1.
Championship
Thursday, April 17
(1) The Master’s Academy (18-7) 3, (2) Trinity Prep (13-7) 1.
Class 5A-District 6
Quarterfinals
Monday, April 14
(4) Edgewater (15-11) 8, (5) Leesburg (3-18) 5.
Semifinals
Tuesday, April 15
(1) Winter Springs (22-4) 10, (4) Edgewater (15-12) 1.
(3) Deltona (10-14) 5, (2) New Smyrna Beach (13-9) 1.
Championship
Thursday, April 17
(1) Winter Springs (23-4) 8, (3) Deltona (10-15) 4.
Class 6A-District 4
Semifinals
Monday, April 14
(1) East River (16-10) 2, (4) Lyman (7-18) 1.
Tuesday, April 15
(3) Oviedo (11-15) 2, (2) Lake Howell (11-14) 1.
Championship
Wednesday, April 16
(3) Oviedo (12-15) 2, (1) East River (16-11) 0.
Class 7A-District 3
Quarterfinals
Monday, April 14
(4) Boone (11-10) 13, (5) Orlando-University (6-14) 2.
(3) Timber Creek (17-8) 10, (6) Colonial (8-15) 0.
Semifinals
Tuesday, April 15
(1) Hagerty (22-3-1) 10, (4) Boone (11-11) 4.
(3) Timber Creek (17-8) 6, (2) Winter Park (22-4) 4.
Championship
Thursday, April 17
(1) Hagerty (23-3-1) 6, (3) Timber Creek (17-9) 1.
Class 7A-District 4
Quarterfinals
Monday, April 14
(4) Lake Mary (13-13) 15, (5) Seminole (4-21) 4.
(3) Apopka (14-9) 13, (6) Ocoee (13-12) 0.
Semifinals
Tuesday, April 15
(4) Lake Mary (14-13) 17, (1) West Orange (19-7) 4.
(2) Lake Brantley (16-9-1) 5, (3) Apopka (14-10) 4.
Championship
Thursday, April 17
(4) Lake Mary (15-13) 3, (2) Lake Brantley (16-10-1) 2.
REGIONALS
Quarterfinals
Best 2-of-3
Class 7-Region 1
(8) Atlantic Coast (18-9) at (1) Spruce Creek (25-2).
(5) Timber Creek (18-9) at (4) Creekside (16-10).
(2) Winter Park (22-4) at (7) Lake Mary (15-13).
(6) West Orange (19-7) at (3) Hagerty (23-3-1).
Class 6A-Region 1
(8) First Coast (17-9) at (1) Buchholz (26-1).
(5) Fletcher (15-8-1) at (4) Tate (14-11).
(7) Oviedo (12-15) at (2) Pace (20-4).
(6) East River (16-11) at (3) Tocoi Creek (17-8).
Class 5A-Region 2
(8) Auburndale (10-17) at (1) Winter Springs (23-4).
(5) Wesley Chapel (12-11) at (4) Seabreeze (16-11).
(7) River Ridge (13-8) at (2) Sebring (20-6).
(3) New Smyrna Beach (13-9) at (6) Springstead (15-10).
Class 2A-Region 2
(8) Melbourne Central Catholic (12-10) at (1) The First Academy-Orlando (22-4).
(4) Montverde (16-9) at (5) John Carroll (17-9).
(2) Lakeland Christian (19-7) at (7) The Master’s Academy (18-7).
(6) Foundation (18-8) at (3) Santa Fe Catholic (21-5).
Class 1A-Region 2
(8) Countryside Christian (14-6) at (1) Mount Dora Christian (13-13).
(5) The Geneva School (17-5) at (4) Deltona Trinity (13-14).
(7) First Academy-Leesburg (11-8) at (2) Orangewood Christian (15-9).
(6) Oak Hall (8-9) at (3) St. Francis Catholic (19-6).
* Class 5A, 6A and 7A will play on Wednesday, Thursday and (if necessary) Saturday.
* Class 1A and 2A will play Monday, Tuesday and (if necessary) Friday.
