By PATRICK CASEY
The Walton softball team could manage only two hits off of Baker County junior pitcher Macy Jackson while the Wildcats hit solo home runs in three different innings to end Walton’s playoff experience with a 4-0 decision at the Walton High School softball complex on Friday night before one of the largest crowds in the program’s history.
The defending Class 5A champions broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third inning as a walk to Payton Parker came home to roost after a sacrifice, a wild pitch and a single by University of Florida signee Dee Washington for the early lead for the visiting team.
The Wildcats then added solo home runs in each of the final three innings of the contest with Macy Jackson, Madison Kennedy and Emma Gipson each hitting one out to increase the lead.
Walton got their lead-off batter on base in five of their seven innings at the plate but could not put together enough offense to dot the scoreboard.
Jamie Lamb started the game with a walk in the bottom of the first inning and was sacrificed to second by Macy Danley but Hannah Poole was caught trying to take second base after a single for the second out of the inning, leaving Lamb at third only to see Celeste Truett strike out to end the frame.
Kiki Bogart was hit by a pitch in the third inning with Shyy Walker taking over as the runner at first base. Jasmin Hester moved Walker to second on a sacrifice but Lamb’s line drive to leftfield was stabbed by the 5-foot-10 Washington with a leaping grab at her shortstop position, followed by a toss back to second baseman Taylor Dyal to double off Walker and end the threat.
Macy Danley walked to start the third inning but Poole, Truett and catcher Jade Larrick each made outs via fly balls to remain scoreless.
Kelee Mosley walked to start the fifth inning with Sydni Earley providing a sacrifice to move her to second base. Bogart then grounded out with Hester going down on strikes to keep the Braves without a run.
Poole and Truett each reached on back-to-back fielding errors by the Wildcats with two outs in the sixth but Larrick fouled out down the third base line with Washington again making an outstanding catch to thwart another scoring attempt.
Walton’s last at-bat of the year in the bottom of the seventh saw Mosley double to start the frame but Earley’s grounder to third was quickly relayed back after retiring Earley at first base to nab Mosley with a deft tag by Washington at the third base bag. Bogart then went down on strikes as the host squad closed out the season with a 19-3 record and their second consecutive loss in a Region 1 Final.
Poole took the loss in her final start of her sophomore year as she allowed six hits with one walk while rolling up seven K’s. Jackson had four strikeouts with three walks in taking the win as the Wildcats(22-6) infield defense was stellar for most of the night.
Walton got to the Region Final after defeating Tallahassee Godby in the Region semifinal by a 4-3 score that saw all the runs in the contest scored in the first inning.
Fans had barely settled in before the Cougars took the lead as Tyra Brown reached base after a strikeout, moved to second on a single by Madison Gorman and scored when catcher Cassidy Mehr blasted a three-run home run to put the visiting team on top.
Walton came right back to take the lead as Lamb and Danley singled with Poole reaching on an error by Brown at third base. Truett then singled in a run with Mosley getting hit by a pitch. Earley then reached on another error by Brown and Kiki Bogart launched a sacrifice fly that plated the final run of the frame with Mosley getting thrown out at third base to end the inning.
Godby threatened to tie the game or take the lead in the fifth as Poole walked Tori Lanter and Brown with two outs. Gorman then singled to load the bases but Poole got pitcher Kyaira Brown to strike out in an 8-pitch at-bat that left the bases loaded.
Mehr reached base on a walk to start the sixth and moved to second for the Cougars on a sacrifice but Poole struck out Ashleigh Hart with Debbie Freeman grounding out to Danley at third to end another threat.
Poole retired the side in the seventh to earn the win allowing three hits to go with four walks and 13 strikeouts.
Walton had seven hits in the contest with Danley providing a pair as the Braves handed senior Kyaira Brown the loss as she allowed seven hits to go with a walk and six strikeouts in her final game for the Cougars.
Team Notes: After recording 260 strikeouts in 26 games as a freshman, Poole posted 256 strikeouts in 22 games as a sophomore. Walton was shut out for just the second time in 2016, losing 1-0 in eight innings at Crestview in the season opener on Feb. 4. The Braves are now 4-5 in the playoffs. Walton County teams are 0-6 in Region Finals and will still be looking for a first-ever trip to the Final Four in the sport at the end of the 2017 season. Since the 1999 season, Walton holds a record of 165-183 in fast-pitch softball. Walton’s 19 wins in 2016 rank behind only last season’s 23 and 21 in 2006. Washington will play college basketball for the Lady Gators this fall. Baker County has five seniors on the squad with four holding starting positions. The contest marked the final game in the careers of Kiki Bogart and Shyy Walker as well as assistant coach Larry Antonacci. Coach Randi Anne McKie saw her fifth season as head coach of the squad come to a close and she holds a record of 56-59 in that time.