Pace, Navarre flag football both win to set up fourth matchup in region semis | AREA ROUNDUP
The flag football season remains alive in Santa Rosa County. Both Navarre and Pace won on Thursday to advance to the Region 1-2A semifinals, where they'll meet for the fourth time this year.
Elsewhere, Pace baseball picked up its 13th consecutive win with a run-rule victory over county rival Milton.
Here's a roundup of area contests that happened on Thursday, April 18.
See your team's scores or stats missing? Be sure to update MaxPreps regularly, or report scores to sports reporter Ben Grieco at bgrieco@gannett.com. This will be updated as more results are posted.
Flag football
Pace 39, Niceville 0: For the second time in a week and a half, Pace has topped Niceville.
And for the third time in that same timeframe, the Patriots have posted a shutout. This time, it was the Region 1-2A quarterfinals, and Pace's 2024 season stays alive.
Pace tallied a touchdown in the first quarter before posting three more scores in the second frame to take a 26-0 lead into halftime. With a touchdown in the third and fourth quarters, Pace rounded out its score.
Amaya Pablo threw for 289 yards, and accounted for five of the Patriots' touchdowns. Cadence Wermers completed five passes for 89 yards.
Emma Sutton led receivers with seven receptions for 88 yards, scoring two touchdowns. Wermers, with six receptions totaling 68 yards, also hauled in two touchdowns. Emma Turner had one touchdown reception, and caught six passes for 50 yards total.
Kenna Pacitti tacked on six catches for 73 yards. Aisley Shields tallied four receptions for 42 yards. Pablo (7 yards) and Lacie Goodale (12 yards) both caught one pass.
On defense, Rylee Henley led the Patriots with five tackles. Ten other players had at least one tackle. Henley also posted a sack for a loss of 7 yards.
Burkley Lutz (12 yards returned) and Sydney Steele (78 yards returned) both had interceptions. Steele's interception was a huge pick-6.
Pace (13-5), the No. 3 seed in the Region 1-2A tournament, goes to Navarre on Tuesday for the region semifinals. It'll be the fourth meeting between the Santa Rosa County foes.
Navarre 39, Forest 6: The Raiders posted a program-record 15th win after defeating Forest in the Region 1-2A quarterfinals.
Quarter-by-quarter scores were not provided. Individual stats were not reported.
Navarre (15-2) hosts Pace on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Region 1-2A semifinals. It'll be the fourth meeting between the teams. Navarre currently holds a 2-1 advantage on the year. Pace won the most recent matchup in the District 1-2A championship game.
Baseball
Pace 11, Milton 1: The Patriots have won their 13th consecutive game, defeating Milton in a mercy rule.
Pace got off to a hot start with a 10-run first inning. Grant Walters crushed a home run in the second at-bat for the Patriots before the next three batters reached base safely thanks to a walk, a single and another walk.
However, the inning kept going after a sacrifice fly from Luke Vaks. A couple errors throughout the frame from Milton saw 15 batters from Pace head to the plate, and the Patriots were in total control.
"I thought Milton helped us out a lot with that. … A couple plays here or there, and it’s a lot closer ball game after the first," Pace head coach Jason McBride said. "Our guys came out ready to play."
Pace's defenses limited the Milton offense, with starting pitcher perfect through three innings. The Patriots only scored one more run in the bottom of the third after Sauls ripped an RBI single to right field, scoring Glenn Brooks.
Milton got some life in the bottom of the fourth. After the first batter, Drake Densman, ended the perfect game bid with an infield single to second base, Pace starting pitcher Nate Caston forced a groundout from the next batter.
Milton loaded the bases after three consecutive walks, which eventually sent Densman home to erase the shutout.
"Nate pitched well. Kind of lost it in the fourth, but he pitched well," McBride said. "And we played well defensively.”
Joeseph Skipworth, after the first two batters from Milton reached first base safely, recorded three straight strikeouts to end the game in a 10-run rule win after five innings.
"It boosts our confidence up," Sauls said of the win. "We’ve just got to stay humble and try to get a win the next game.”
Milton (10-9) hosts Northview on Friday at 7 p.m. Pace (15-5) plays Choctaw on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Fort Walton Beach 6, Booker T. Washington 3: A rally attempt from the Wildcats fell just short.
Fort Walton Beach scored six unanswered runs throughout the game, plating a run in the second and fourth innings, adding three more in the fifth. The Vikings rounded out their scoring in the top of the seventh.
Booker T. plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Fort Walton Beach thwarted the comeback.
Jonathan Wallin posted two hits and an RBI for the Wildcats. Ricky Bucco doubled with a run. Jasean Mobley tacked on a hit with a run and an RBI. Nick Freeman singled and scored. J.R. Riley also had a single.
Travis Bright recorded the loss on the mound, striking out one batter in 6.2 innings. He allowed six hits, six runs (two earned) and two walks. Parker Zareck, in 0.1 innings, struck out a batter. He surrendered a hit and two walk.
Booker T. (5-16) hosts Pensacola on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Central 7, Baker 1: The Jaguars have won six consecutive games now.
Central opened the game with three runs in the first inning before Baker erased the shutout with its lone run in the top of the fourth. From there, it was all Jaguars. They plated two runs in the fourth and fifth innings to secure the win.
Dylen Houk recorded a single and a double, adding two RBIs and a run for Central. Justin Smarr also had a two-hit night, recording two RBIs and a run. Payton Holland posted two singles.
Brayden Faust added a single with an RBI and a run. Kaden Ellison, Carson Baxley and Tyson Smarr all singled and plated a run. Quincy Wilson and Gavin Schmidt tallied RBIs, while Jake Ellis plated a run.
Smarr earned the win on the mound, striking out nine batters in five innings. He surrendered two hits, one unearned run and three walks. Houk, in relief, struck out two batters in two innings, allowing just one hit.
Central (18-1) hosts Destin for a double-header on Friday, with games at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Escambia 4, Jay 1: A four-run fourth inning propelled Escambia to a win over the Royals.
Jay opened the scoring with a run in the second inning before Escambia took control and secured the win in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Both Caleb Bates and Ethan Pardue had two-hit performances, adding a run. Jordan Luckie tacked on a hit and a run. Reid Shiver and Jonathan Edgar singled with an RBI.
Ryan McVay scored a run and added an RBI. Christian Stone tallied an RBI.
Pardue threw a complete game on the mound, striking out 10 batters in seven innings. He allowed five hits, one run and one walk.
Grayson Shehan led the Royals with a single and an RBI. Nick Baxley, Ryan Starosta and Jax Lowery all recorded a hit. Wyatt Peaden plated a run.
Kaden Strength threw four innings on the mound, striking out one batter. He allowed seven hits, four runs and a walk. Hayden Morris, in two innings, fanned two batters.
Jay (10-9) travels to Baker on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Escambia (17-5) goes to Pensacola Catholic on Friday at 7 p.m.
Softball
Baker 15, Booker T. Washington 0: The Wildcats fell in a no-hit, mercy rule after three innings.
Baker plated four runs in the first, three runs in the second and eight in the third to enforce the 15-run rule.
Cassidy Bardin threw 1.2 innings at the pitcher's circle, allowing eight hits, 11 runs (four earned) and one walk. In one inning, Dougherty Brogan allowed four hits and four unearned runs.
Booker T. (6-14) hosts Northview on Tuesday at 6 p.m. to close out its regular season.
West Florida 9, Gulf Breeze 1: The Jaguars are now winners of their last three games.
West Florida went on a long run, plating a run in the second and third innings, adding three more in the fifth and sixth frames. Gulf Breeze got on the board with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
West Florida plated one more run in the seventh frame to round out its scoring.
Stats for the Jaguars were not available.
Leila Ammon posted two singles for Gulf Breeze. Kenna King tacked on a single and a run. Presley Hall contributed an RBI.
Jacey Reed threw 5.2 innings at the pitcher's circle, striking out four batters. She allowed seven hits, six runs (four earned) and two walks. Ammon, in 1.2 innings, fanned two batters, surrendering three hits, three runs (two earned) and a walk.
Gulf Breeze (11-6) hosts Pace on Friday at 6:30 p.m. West Florida (12-9) takes on Jay on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Navarre 14, Pensacola Catholic 4: The Raiders have picked up back-to-back wins.
Navarre plated a run in the first inning and two more in the second before the Crusaders scored three runs in the third frame. Navarre then scored 11 unanswered runs between three in the third and eight in the fourth.
Pensacola Catholic scored one more run in the top of the fifth, but the Raiders held on for the 10-run mercy rule.
Renee Hester led Navarre with a three-hit performance, including two doubles, adding two runs and an RBI. Natalia Taylor tacked on a single and a double with two runs and two RBIs. Nadia Rivera had a single and a double with two runs and two RBIs. Karsyn Riddle and Libby Lewis both posted two hits with a run and an RBI.
Calyn Rounsaville recorded a double with an RBI, while Lily Weaver singled with two runs and an RBI. Savanna Anderson recorded a hit, a run and an RBI. Blakely Bye (2) and Taylor Jefferson plated runs. Jefferson also had an RBI.
Lyliann Kessler earned the win with three innings at the pitcher's circle, striking out one batter. She allowed three hits, three runs (one earned) and one walk. Karsyn Riddle, in two innings, fanned three batters, allowing one unearned run and two walks.
Titera Dukes led Pensacola Catholic with a double and two RBIs. Krystiana Chapman singled with a run. Isabella Little-anoai also tacked on a hit. Morgan Smith (2) and Ja'hyrah Farmer plated runs.
Little-anoai threw a complete game, allowing eight hits, 14 runs (one earned) and three walks.
Pensacola Catholic (8-10) goes to Baker on Friday at 6 p.m. Navarre (9-10) travels to Milton on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Jay 4, Northview 0: Jay got revenge over area rival Northview with a shutout.
The Royals scored three runs in the first inning and one more in the fourth to claim victory.
Brett Watson led Jay with three hits and a run. Ella Nelson and Cadee Caroll both singled twice. Brooklyn Sorrells added a hit with two RBIs. Morgan Barrow tallied a hit and a run. Kylei Martinez tacked on a hit.
Kaylee Gilbreath and Kiley Samford both scored a run, while Layna Lowry tallied an RBI.
Carroll threw a complete game, striking out one batter in seven innings. She surrendered just one hit and three walks.
Makayla Golson recorded Northview's only hits of the game.
Jamison Gilman threw four innings for the Chiefs, striking out two batters. She allowed seven hits, four runs and two walks. Mikayla McAnnally, in three innings, struck out a batter. She allowed three hits and a walk.
Northview (16-3) hosts Crestview on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Jay (11-7) plays Flomaton (Alabama) on Friday at 6 p.m.
Pace 11, Tate 0: The Patriots earned their 13th shutout of the season with a run-rule win at Tate.
Pace plated three runs in the second inning, tacking on five more in the fifth and three in the sixth. Tate was held scoreless in the sixth to enforce the mercy rule.
Jayden Heavener led Pace with two singles and a home run, tacking on a run and three RBIs. Shelby McKenzie singled twice with a run and an RBI. Mallory Baker also had a two-hit night.
Emily Gzybowski crushed a home run with three RBIs and a run. Tatum Hastin singled with three runs. Kamryn Pierce had a hit, a run and an RBI. Shelby Crooks doubled with two runs. Britten Kettler also had a double with a run and an RBI. Lana Gonzales had a hit and an RBI. Juliana Henderson plated a run.
Heavener threw five innings at the the pitcher's circle, striking out nine batters and allowing just two hits. Baker, in one inning, struck out one batter, allowing a hit.
Kate Balagbagan, Amburleigh Laird and Kara Wine all singled for Tate.
Jordan Smith threw a complete game, striking out one batter. She allowed 13 hits, 11 runs (eight earned) and four walks.
Tate (12-8) hosts Escambia for a double-header on Friday at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Pace (19-1) goes to Gulf Breeze on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Beach volleyball
Choctaw 3, Pace 2: The Patriots fell in their regular-season finale.
Pace won the first pairing, 2-1, before Choctaw won the next three pairings (2-1, 2-0, 2-0). Pace picked up the victory in the five pair (2-1).
Individual stats were not reported.
Pace (6-4) will start to gear up for the district tournament.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pace, Navarre flag football both win in Region 1-2A quarterfinals
