Do not be denied.This was the motto for Plant City softball
this season and after five scoreless innings in a pitchers duel against East
Bay in the district title, the Raiders would answer their season-long mantra.

After sophomore Ashley Blessin held East Bay to four hits
and struck out 10, the Raiders offense finally rewarded their pitcher, but it
wasn’t easy.

In the sixth inning, with the bases full after Blessin singled, Palm Beach Atlantic signee Edmilly Molina (who had a double in the game) was hit by a pitch, and the bases were loaded on bunt single, a fly ball to East Bay left fielder Kylan Armstrong was caught for the first out and then
Armstrong made the throw to Hannah Perez at the plate for the second out.

But after the double-play, sophomore Abbie DeWeese (2-for-2) would get the Raiders
on the board hitting a liner down the right field line that landed fair and
plated Molina for the deciding run.

East Bay also got a strong effort on the mound from senior
Haley Murphy, who struck out four in the loss.

“We stayed on (East Bay pitcher) Haley (Murphy) the whole
game,” Plant City coach Ashley Bullion said via text. “We just kept trying to
make something happen and we played one out at a time.”

“Do not be denied, that is our motto – at the plate, on
defense, don’t let it happen.”

The district championship makes three in a row for Plant
City and its seniors Molina, Tori Garrison, Kaity Ruedeman and Erica Sanders.

“Three in a row,” Bullion said. “It’s exciting for our
seniors and our program.”Both teams advance to next Wednesday’s Class 8a FHSAA region quarterfinal with East Bay traveling to face District 5 champions Sickles, and Plant City hosting 8A-5 runner-up Steinbrenner.

Zack Stein and Ryan Murphy homered to help Cambridge
Christian reach the 20-win mark in the regular season for the third time in
program history. The Lancers (20-5) finish the regular season behind four
strong innings on the mound from Michael McCarty, who picks up the win before
Stein came on in relief and earned a three-inning save. Austin Hessinger had a
pair of singles and scored twice and Duane Drummond had a double, a run and an
RBI in the win.

Brooks DeBartolo (7-15) freshman Stephaune Haylock’s
three-run home run to left field in the second got the Phoenix going, and his
three-run longball in the seventh put things away. Jackson Alvord added a two
run home run in the fifth for Brooks DeBartolo, Tyler Coffey doubled and scored
three runs, Gage Richter had two RBI and scored three times, and LeAndre
Mahoney hit a double. Seffner Christian juniors Bobby Turkett went 2-for-3,
while James Peeler scored two runs in the loss.

King (15-9) battled back to tie things against Steinbrenner
in the sixth inning, before Zarrian Brinson sent a line drive single to center
driving in Dehreon Pressley and close the regular season with a win. Pressley
was 2-for-4 in the win, with a stolen base, Matthew Jernigan doubled, Justice
Thompson had a double and scored twice for the Lions, and Anthony Azpeitia
earned the win on the mound working three scoreless innings. CJ Van Eyk was
3-for-4 for Steinbrenner (15-8) in the loss, and Jordan Lala, Daniel Delgado
and Ryan Glass each drove in a run. Joey Cimino had two hits for the Warriors.