High School Softball: Auburndale falls in regional finals

AUBURNDALE ― Auburndale softball was trying to reach the Class 5A state tourney for the fourth time in school history. But the Bloodhounds went down 3-1 to River Ridge in the Class 5A, Region 2 Finals Friday at Auburndale High School.

The Bloodhounds had chances early, too. Senior starting pitcher Kassidy Pointbriant didn’t give up a run until the top of the third inning when River Ridge’s Kreshon Lauren blasted a two-run home run to take a 2-0 lead.

This was the final production until the officials delayed the game because of lightning. When the lightning subsided, River Ridge’s Sophie Johnson in the fourth inning hit a shot over the left field fence to put the score at 3-0.

Auburndale finally hit its stride in the sixth inning when Victoria Charles led off with a triple before Alyssa Wright blasted an RBI double to bring home Charles, which made the score 3-1 River Ridge.

More:High School Softball: Auburndale blows out Lecanto, advances to regional semis

In the end, there was just two many times the Bloodhounds left runners stranded: Auburndale left runners with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning, and left runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth.

Wright was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Pointbriant on the mound struck out 10, walked one and gave up three earned runs in seven innings.

Pointbriant said it is difficult knowing this is the last time she would play with her sisters as a senior.

“Knowing … it’s our last game together, obviously it’s sad,” Pointbriant said.

Fourteenth-year Auburndale head softball coach Mile Littles recollected on the season.

“Since the beginning of the season, we’ve been pretty strong. We had a tough schedule; I think (it’s) in the top five in the state as far as strength of schedule,” Littles  said. “…We played 25 games and had some of our key players hurt and they came back, battled, but we had the young girls step up, and work together as a team. That’s the big thing: We’ve gotten where we are at because of team. … We got to execute, we got to have the energy, and just play together as a team.

“I’m super proud of the girls. They worked hard. I don’t know if they were expected to get where we are at. I mean everybody else expected it. But I’ve been trying to keep them humble and feet on the ground saying, ‘You can’t take people lightly.' And they’re not taking us lightly. They know we are a good team. I’m just proud of them.”