ALTAMONTE SPRINGS — Lake Brantley junior Evan Griffis could not take his eyes off the ball Wednesday night, even after it left his bat for the final time in the bottom of the sixth inning to put an early end to a Class 7A regional baseball semifinal.
Griffis took a moment to marvel at the 3-run blast toward the wall in left field before rounding the bases and celebrating a 12-1 mercy-rule win vs. visiting Hagerty (16-12) alongside teammates at home plate.
“There’s no better feeling than that. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever felt in my life,” Griffis said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever had a walk-off like that.”
The Patriots (26-3), who advance to an FHSAA regional final for the first time since winning a state championship in 2013, play at home again Saturday at 6 p.m. against Port Orange Spruce Creek (21-8) and standout senior pitcher Brandon Neely.
Spruce Creek scored one run in the sixth inning then added five more in the seventh — including four runs on a grand slam — to defeat host Lake Mary 6-1 in the other Region 1 semifinal. The Rams finish their season at 16-12.
Kissimmee Osceola (20-7) and Mount Dora Christian Academy (21-6) also return to the diamond Saturday for regional finals after each recorded road wins Wednesday. Osceola won 5-1 against Lake Nona (18-9) in Class 7A Region 2 and MDCA needed just five innings for a 10-0 win in Class 2A at Orangewood Christian (15-12).
The Kowboys face Plant City Durant (21-5) and Mount Dora Christian plays Seffner Christian (19-4-1). Class 4A Bishop Moore and 3A The First Academy play in regional championship games on Wednesday.
Lake Brantley senior pitcher Connor Hensley stuck out seven batters in six innings against Hagerty to improve to 9-0 with a 0.85 ERA on the season. Head coach Eric Entrekin said after the game that he had not yet decided on a starting pitcher for Saturday.
“We have a great group of guys who come out and play our hardest,” Hensley said. “It’s just ridiculous that I can go out on the mound and know that they’re going to back me up as long as I throw strikes.”
The Patriots plated four runs in the first inning then tacked on five more in the fifth to keep the Huskies at bay. Griffis finished 3-for-4 at the plate with 4 RBIs and Maverick Stallings went 2-for-3 with 4 RBIs in the win.
“Offensively, we’re really swinging it well right now,” Entrekin said. “We’re bunting when we need to bunt, we’re moving guys over, we’re hitting [sacrifice] flies and they’re doing everything I’ve been asking them to do.”
Osceola had four players each log a pair of hits Wednesday in support of pitchers Manuel Lopez and Shawn Lara, who combined on a 3-hitter. Lopez struck out seven batters and allowed just two hits in three innings. Lara did not allow a baserunner in his relief role.
Isaiah Jean Baptiste finished 2-for-3 with a triple. Josean Sanchez, Jose Antonio Perez and Edwin Melendez each went 2-for-4 for the Kowboys.
Mount Dora Christian’s Cooper Chapman gave up only one hit while striking out three batters in five innings. Dominic Jones went 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs.
Baseball semifinal scores
Class 7A Region 1
Port Orange Spruce Creek (21-8) d. Lake Mary (16-12), 6-1
Lake Brantley (26-3) d. Hagerty (16-12), 12-1 (6 inn.)
Class 7A Region 2
Osceola (20-7) d. Lake Nona (18-9), 5-1
Plant City Durant (21-5) d. Sarasota Riverview (19-10), 7-0
Class 2A Region 2
Mount Dora Christian (21-6) d. Orangewood Christian (15-12), 10-0 (5 inn.)
Seffner Chrsitian (19-4-1) d. Winter Haven All Saints Academy (16-8), 11-2
This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.
