Gulf Breeze Advances To District 6A-1 Championship

Senior Gavin Quenneville celebrates during the Dolphins’ extra-innings win over the Tate Aggies. Quenneville reached base three times, going 1-for-2 with a double and two walks. *Photo from @GBHSBaseball.

Growing up playing baseball every kid dreams about that storybook ending where they are the big hero and win the game for their team. For some of those kids, those dreams come true.

Carter Hoeft delivered in the bottom of the eighth inning with an RBI single that drove in Roman Jackson, lifting the Gulf Breeze Dolphins to a 3-2, walk-off win over the Tate Aggies, at host Pace High. The district playoff win keeps the season alive for the Dolphins (14-11), who advance to Thursday’s District 6A-1 championship against the Pace Patriots (18-6). The winner of that game earns an automatic bid into the regional playoffs, that begin next week.

Gulf Breeze wins the season series against Tate (11-14), after the two clubs split the regular-season series. So it came as no surprise that Tuesday’s playoff took extra innings to decide.

*Photo from @GBHSBaseball.

Tate got the scoring going right away by taking a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the first inning. Just two batters in, senior Bray Touchstone jumped on an 0-1 pitch and sent it over the left field fence for a solo home run. Touchstone’s seventh homer of the season gave the Aggies a lead that held up until the bottom of the fifth, when Roman Jackson delivered a two-RBI single that put the Dolphins ahead.

Gulf Breeze loaded up the bases with one out to bring Jackson to the batter’s box. Kade Rollins walked, and Carter Mcllwain dropped down a sacrifice bunt and reached on an error. Gavin Quenneville worked the count and drew a walk on a full count on the seventh pitch to load the bags, and two batters later Jackson lined a single to right to drive in pinch-runner Patrick Duval and Mcllwain.

*Photo from @GBHSBaseball.

Tommy Regan celebrates after safely reaching second base, on a 3-for-4 night. *Photo from @GBHSBaseball.

The Aggies answered back to tie things back up with a run in the top of the sixth. Kaleb Posta led off with a walk, also on the seventh pitch in a full count. Mason Land then followed with a base hit to right, and Clif Quiggins came through with an RBI single to center that made it a 2-2 ball game that eventually forced extra innings.

Quiggins was one of several Aggies who collected multiple hits, as he went 2-for-4 on the day. Ketch King was 3-for-5, and Conner Hassell went 2-for-5.

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