Oxbridge’s dream season continued Wednesday night at Historic Dodgertown.
Oxbridge Academy, shown last week during its regional finals win, advanced to the Class 4A state championship game Wednesday with a 6-5 win over Tampa-Academy of the Holy Names. (Allen Eyestone/Palm Beach Post)
Lucky Gilman and Nashani Gilbert-Taylor each had two hits, and Lianna Mullins pitched seven strong innings to lead the ThunderWolves to a 6-5 victory over Tampa-Academy of the Holy Names in a Class 4A state semifinal in Vero Beach.
With the win, Oxbridge (27-2) advances to Thursday’s state championship game against Miami-Westminster Christian, which defeated Jacksonville-Trinity Christian 3-2 in the other semifinal.
“I’ve coached awhile, and won some state championships,” ThunderWolves coach Kevin Drake said. “But these girls are unbelievable. They are the most loose team I’ve ever been around.”
The Jaguars (15-8) jumped out to an early lead, scoring the game’s first run in the top of the second on Katie Hale’s two-out, RBI single to left.
Holy Names put the leadoff batter on base in the third, but Oxbridge starter Lianna Mullins got out of the inning on a pair of strikeouts and a ground ball.
Meanwhile, Jaguars starter Gelmi Pasquier gave the ThunderWolves very little to hit in the early going.
The sophomore righthander retired the ThunderWolves in order through the first three innings, inducing eight ground balls and a pop fly.
Oxbridge didn’t get its first hit until the fourth inning, with Lucky Gilman lacing a single through the middle. She came around to score on Caridad Estes’ RBI single. Pasquier came out of the game on the play, and was replaced by senior Allie Weachter.
The lefthander allowed a bases-loaded walk to Madalynn Davis and a two-run single to rightfielder Lindsey Love, as Oxbridge jumped out to a 4-1 lead.
Pasquier came back in with two outs in the inning, and retired the side on a strikeout – her first.
Holy Names came right back in the fifth, tying the game 4-4 on Alexis Miniet’s RBI single and Chloe Boos’ two-run double.
Oxbridge went back out in front in the bottom of the inning, taking a 5-4 lead on Gilbert-Taylor’s RBI single to center.
The ThunderWolves extended their lead to 6-4 in the 6th, scoring on a two-out RBI single by Gilman.
The Jaguars scored a run in the top of the seventh to pull within 6-5, but Mullins retired the final two batters on a pair of popups to seal her team’s 23rd straight win.
