Mike Ridaught
It was an instant classic in Alachua on Thursday night.
In a match-up of the top two ranked high school baseball teams in Class 4A, visiting Clay (Green Cove Springs) outlasted top-ranked Santa Fe, 5-4, in 14 innings.
There were plenty of big moments late in the game.
In the 7th inning with the score tied 3-3, center fielder Devan Mitchum threw out Clay’s Max Williams at the plate.
Santa Fe rallied down a run in the 11th inning. Mitchum’s double scored John Rechsteiner to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the 11th.
However, an RBI double by Clay’s Wyatt Root drove in Sean Alvers with the winning run.
The visiting Blue Devils improved to 16-3, while the Raiders, who had their 14-game winning streak snapped, dropped to 15-2.
Santa Fe plays at 7 p.m. tonight at GHS.
Buchholz defeated visiting Leon (Tallahassee), 10-5, in a district game.
The Bobcats (13-4-1), who rallied from a 4-0 deficit, are back in action on Saturday at home against 6A No. 11 Sarasota. The first pitch is at 2 p.m.
Elsewhere, Union County moved to 17-1 with a 12-2 mercy rule win against Branford.
Braxton Dukes got the win to improve to 5-1.
Paden Clyatt had a pair of hits and Tripp Davis drove in a pair of runs for Union County, which will play at 7 p.m. on Friday at Hilliard.
(SOFTBALL) – Baldwin rallied for a 15-3 win against Union County by scoring 11 runs in the 6th inning.
Union County (10-5) will travel to Williston on Tuesday.
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