Mike Ridaught
The Newberry baseball team is heading to the Class 1A final four.
On Tuesday night in the Class 1A Regional Finals the Panthers scored seven runs in the second inning and defeated Williston, 12-6, to advance to Fort Myers next week for the state semifinals.
“It feels good,” said Newberry coach Mike Spina. “This group of guys has been battling for four years. They’ve been playing hard. It feels good, but we’re not done.”
Newberry finished with 11 hits in the game, including four players with multiple hits.
“When they hit, and they all hit, we’re dangerous,” Spina said.
The Panthers (23-1) will face Hamilton County (Jasper) in next Wednesday’s Class 1A state semifinals. The Trojans eliminated top-ranked Union County (Lake Butler), 6-3, in the other regional final.
The Tigers’ season ends at 21-5.
Coach Spina and the Newberry baseball team will be our guests on “The Prep Zone” sports show from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesday at Sonic Drive-In of Gainesville. You can listen to the show on 106.9 FM “I am Country.”
Williston finished the season at 14-14.
Tuesday, May 11
Class 1A Softball Regional Finals
Trenton 4, Dixie County (Cross City) 0
Branford 14, Taylor County (Perry) 3
Class 1A Baseball Regional Finals
Newberry 12, Williston 6
Hamilton County (Jasper) 6, Union County (Lake Butler) 3
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