JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The high school baseball state playoffs have reached the third round, with five teams in action on Tuesday night. Columbia will face Lincoln in the lone regional final on Monday night.
A glance at those matchups. All games are 7 p.m. unless indicated.
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Regional finals
Tuesday’s games
Region 1-7A
Hagerty (16-11) at Bartram Trail (21-8)
Road here: Hagerty d. Sandalwood, 3-2; d. Lake Brantley, 5-4; Bartram d. Oviedo, 3-2; d. Apopka, 5-0.
Winner gets: A spot in the Class 7A state semifinals on Friday. Opponent will be determined after teams are reseeded MaxPreps rankings points following the regional finals.
Glance: The Bears are in the third round of the playoffs for just the second time ever. Bartram last reached this stage in 2015 under former coach Tony Sowers, eventually losing in the championship game. It’s been two very different games in the playoffs for the Bears. Kolt Myers delivered the walk-off winner in the opener. Alex Lodise (2 for 5 in playoffs, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Kolt Myers (2 for 3, RBI against Apopka), Justin Nadeau (2 for 3, 2 RBI against Apopka) have all homered this postseason. Pitching is tough, too. The Bears have a lineup and a stable of arms that has been built for the rigors of May baseball. It’s showing now.
Region 1-4A
Bishop Kenny (21-6) at Suwannee (23-4)
Road here: BK d. South Walton, 7-6; d. Arnold, 5-3; Suwannee d. Baker County, 11-5; d. Clay, 2-1.
Winner gets: A spot in the Class 4A state semifinals on Monday. Opponent will be determined after teams are reseeded MaxPreps rankings points following the regional finals.
Glance: Who wins in a battle of lengthy winning streaks? The Crusaders just keep on winning. They stretched their winning streak to 12 games with a win over Arnold in a much more convincing victory than its opener. Kenny put things away with a four-run third inning. Included in that winning streak is a 6-5 victory over St. Johns Country Day. The Crusaders just know how to win. Two of their last three games have been decided by a run, including a miraculous rally to beat South Walton in Round 1. Andrew Tabor (.408, 3 HR) and Jack Newman (.359, 24 RBI) lead a Crusaders team that has refused to lose. Suwannee enters this one even hotter, with an area-best 14 straight Ws. Matthew Gill (.443, 2 HR, 30 RBI) delivered the walk-off winner to beat Clay in the second round and the Bulldogs are tough everywhere in their lineup.
Region 1-3A
Fernandina Beach (16-9) at Villages Charter (19-7)
Road here: Fernandina d. Bishop Snyder, 11-5; d. Trinity Catholic, 5-2; Villages d. Florida High, 3-1; d. Providence, 1-0.
Winner gets: A spot in the Class 3A state semifinals on Tuesday. Opponent will be determined after teams are reseeded MaxPreps rankings points following the regional finals.
Glance: Who’s going to bet against the Pirates? Eighth-seeded Fernandina Beach has knocked off No. 1 seed Bishop Snyder and No. 4 seed Trinity Catholic. The Pirates haven’t been this deep in the playoffs since 2006. Jackson Denton, Ernest Dye and Sean Benjamin will try and push the Pirates into the state semifinals for the first time since they reached the state title game in 2003.
Region 1-2A
North Florida Christian (20-5) at St. Johns Country Day (23-4)
Road here: NFC d. Oak Hall, 12-2; d. University Christian, 8-6; St. Johns CD d. St. John Paul II, 3-0; d. Trinity Christian, 12-5.
Winner gets: A spot in the Class 2A state semifinals on Tuesday. Opponent will be determined after teams are reseeded MaxPreps rankings points following the regional finals.
Glance: The Spartans have been on a collision course with the state semifinals ever since last season ended. They’ve got the area’s most lethal lineup, with Bradley Hodges (.516, 9 HR, 32 RBI) and Jordan Taylor (.459, 7 HR, 30 RBI) a nightmare to have to face. Six regulars are hitting .364 or better. There’s no easy out here. On the mound, Hodges is 10-0 with 114 Ks in 60 innings.