Regional baseball: Providence tops Wolfson; Clay, Bishop Kenny, Baker County, SJCD advance

Watching three innings of playoff baseball, Liam O'Neil had a feeling what to expect next — and what to do about it.

"It was a little low, a little away," O'Neil said, "but I stayed through it."

Back to full power from an injury that cost him nearly half a season, the senior first baseman slugged Providence to victory again with a crucial three-run blast to overcome Wolfson 4-1 in Friday night's Florida High School Athletic Association Region 1-3A baseball semifinal.

The bottom of the order started it for the Stallions, consecutive hits from Brooks Hicken and Nove Masci that led to the first run. Then, O'Neil connected off Wolfpack starter Connor Thomas for a no-doubt-about-it blast in the third inning, his third since returning from injury.

"He's got the most power probably of any high school hitter I've seen since I've been doing this," Providence coach Tommy Boss said.

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While O'Neil moved Providence into a comfortable lead, it took another Stallions senior to finish off a stubborn Wolfson (21-6), in its best season since 2005.

After Reece Kicklighter's RBI double brought home Brady Toney and placed two runners in scoring position with no outs, Boss summoned senior Brett Dennis to escape the jam with a strikeout, a foul pop-up and an infield groundout. Wolfson threatened again in the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Dennis extinguished any rally with consecutive strikeouts.

"I wanted the ball in his hands at the end of this game, win it or lose it with our guy on the mound," Boss said.

The Stallions advance to a home game Tuesday night against Ocala Trinity Catholic (21-8), which shut out Bolles 6-0. The Bulldogs (15-13) managed only five hits against Celtics junior Mekai Griffin, who struck out 12 on the mound and went 2 for 3 with a double at the plate.

REGION 1-5A

Clay (23-6) racked up five runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 5-3 win over Ridgeview, turning the tables after the district tournament a week ago. Four consecutive batters reached before Josh Rouw's double moved the Blue Devils in front to stay. Ridgeview (20-7) had struck first with a run in the first and two more in the third, including an RBI double from Alfredo Jimenez.

REGION 1-4A

University of North Florida signee Jack Newman pitched a three-hit gem and Bishop Kenny kept its rally machine going with a 3-1 comeback win against top seed South Walton (26-4). The Crusaders (17-10) pulled ahead in the seventh with a walk, a hit batsman, Andrew McWilliams' go-ahead single and then Michael Saunders' squeeze bunt.

The Crusaders' win guarantees a Northeast Florida final four team. Bishop Kenny will next travel to Baker County, which raced to a 3-2 win over Panama City Beach Arnold (17-10) after Davion Dean's three-run double sparked a bottom-of-the-sixth rally. Lucas Davis went the distance for the Wildcats (22-6), who return to the regional final for the second time in three seasons.

REGION 1-2A

Kyle Boylston hit a home run to help St. Johns Country Day overcome four early errors, winning 5-2 against visiting University Christian (15-11). The Spartans (24-4) advance to their third consecutive regional final on Monday night.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school baseball 2023: Jacksonville second-round playoff winners