Florida softball state championships recap: Parrish Community wins first ever state title
The Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) this week began hosting the state softball semifinals/championships over at Legends Way Softball Complex in Clermont, with Wednesday being Day No. 4 of the state championship games for Class 3A, 4A and 5A.
Games that took place on Wednesday was the Class 3A state championship between Clearwater Calvary Christian and Somerset Charter Silver Palms, then the Class 4A state title game with Lake Wales-Wakulla and 5A’s Parrish Community-Deltona. Read more down below of our recaps on the softball state championships that took place.
Class 5A state championship: Parrish Community 5, Deltona 0
Before the 2023 season ever started for the Parrish Community Bulls, one message was clear: The goal was always to win a state championship.
On Wednesday evening, Erin Spivey’s bunch took manifesting in it and made it reality when they won the Class 5A crown with a shutout victory over the Deltona Wolves (22-5). Parrish Community (24-3) was able to do it behind a strong pitching performance from pitcher Isabella Vega.
Vega, a University of Central Florida commitment, had one of her best overall performances of the entire season. The senior hurler pitched a complete game, allowing just one hit en route to leading the Bulls to their first state championship.
Among the 10 hits the Bulls were able to churn out on the evening, three of them came via the bat of lead off hitter Julia Girk. It’s been a meteoric rise for Parrish Community, whom plays within Manatee County and was always contending against the likes of Lakewood Ranch. With the Mustangs winning a state title last year, it’s the Bulls that will be bringing back a championship to Manatee County this time around.
Class 4A state championship: Lake Wales 7, Wakulla 2
Playing in one of the toughest areas in the state has its advantages. One of them is seeing teams like Auburndale, Bartow and Lake Region all throughout the regular season.
It made finishing the job feasible for the Highlanders (21-11) as they became the second team at the school to bring back home a state championship. Lake Wales sophomore pitcher Anna Conroy pitched a complete game gem, allowing just two earned runs and striking out five batters in leading the Highlanders to the Class 4A title over Wakulla (20-7).
Run support was something Conroy had plenty of through the first three innings as Lake Wales tagged runs in each of the frames. After three innings, Conroy already had a 4-0 lead to work with and she did the rest on the mound.
Lake Wales senior infielder Zamya McBurrows had herself a solid game, notching three hits and driving in two runs in the victory.
Class 3A state championship: Clearwater Calvary Christian 3, Somerset Charter Silver Palms 0
Maybe it was hard to see sometimes for many, but this Calvary Christian team was always well equipped to go back-to-back and Wednesday afternoon turned that phrase into reality.
In arguably her most impressive pitching performance of the entire season, Warriors’ pitcher Morgen Talley certainly saved her best for last. Talley pitched a complete game, yielding just four hits and striking out 10 in leading Calvary Christian (22-7) past Somerset Charter Silver Palms (29-3).
It was a pitcher’s duel between Talley and Somerset’s Edan Playa, who also pitched a complete game herself. The Warriors and Stallions played scoreless all the way up until the sixth inning. That’s when Calvary Christian finally got on the board and Talley helped her own cause.
Talley notched a double and drove in two runs in helping create the separation. The Warriors scored an additional run in the seventh for good measure.
Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.
