The Newberry Panthers are one win away from their third trip to the 1A state semifinals in four years.

Sophomore Desmond Taylor pitched a gem, allowing only two hits over 6 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts and no walks to help pace host Newberry to a 5-0 win over Williston in a Region 4-1A semifinal game.

Braxton Brady had two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI and Tavis Honeycutt added two doubles and a run batted in as Newberry (22-5) advances to a region final game on Saturday against Trenton, who advanced with an 8-0 win at Chiefland.

The winner of that game advances to the 1A state semifinals at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers next Wednesday, May 15.

“We had some big hits, some big timely hits,” Newberry coach Mike Spina said. “We had the sophomore Desmond (Taylor) control the game, pretty much the entire game.”

Taylor retired the last 10 Williston batters he faced before being pulled with two outs in the seventh inning due to pitch count.

Zack Marriott fanned the only batter he faced to complete the shutout.

“I just needed to limit the three-ball counts, and tried to get back in the count as much as I could,” Taylor said. “I had pitched in a district semifinal before but not a regional playoff game so it was a big deal.”

“He’s (Taylor) a sophomore and he has a big arm and is our future,” Spina said. “I’m real proud of him, he’s a competitor and doesn’t let much bother him.”

Newberry went on top 1-0 in the second as Josh Morison led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by Aiden Michaux.

The Panthers made it 2-0 in the third as Brady doubled and later scored on an RBI single by Tristan Woodrome against Williston starter Anthony Gardea.

Newberry broke the game open against Williston relief pitcher Wyatt North in the fourth inning. Back-to-back doubles by Brady and Honeycutt brought in three runs for a 5-0 Panthers lead.

Six of Newberry’s eight hits were doubles against Williston (9-19).

Newberry, who won the 1A state title in 2021 and were beaten 1-0 by Chipley in last year’s state semifinal, is one game away from another trip to Fort Myers.

“These guys know what we are trying to do and accomplish,” Spina said. “We want to win a regional title and get back to Fort Myers. That’s where the fun happens.”