Pace Earns Fourth Consecutive District Championship

The 2024 District 6A-1 champion Pace Patriots. *Photo from @PacePatriotsBaseball.

Tucker Ricks had his good stuff working and the Pace offense had enough run support behind him, as the Patriots earned a 4-0 shutout over the Gulf Breeze Dolphins to win the District 6A-1 championship on Thursday night.

It is the fourth consecutive district trophy for the Patriots (19-6), who now advance into the state regional playoffs. Pace will host the Fleming Island Eagles (18-10) on Tuesday night in a Region 6A-1 quarterfinal playoff. The Dolphins finish the season at 14-12.

Ricks was in command from the start in going the distance for the complete-game shutout. The junior right-hander needed just 72 pitches to go the full seven innings, as he struck out six and did not issue any walks, while allowing four hits. He improved to 8-1 on the season.

The Pace Patriot seniors, who have seen all four of the district titles earned. *Photo from @PacePatriotsBaseball.

The Patriots struck for two runs in the second, and another pair of runs in the fourth to account for the scoring. With one out in the second, three straight batters reached to load the bases as Eli Riffell was hit by a pitch, Sammy Roberts singled to left and Tanner Owens was also hit by a pitch. An infield error allowed Riffell to score, and then Glenn Brooks drove in a run the hard way by getting hit by a pitch with the bases still full.

With two outs in the fourth, they struck for two more runs to help pull away. Brenton Busby lined a double to left, and Brooks was intentionally walked to set up the potential for a double play. But a balk call advanced the runners, and Grant Walters walked to again load the bases. Nash Pires got the ball on the ground, and an infield error allowed two runners to come home.

Ricks took care of the rest from there to complete the team’s seventh shutout of the year. Then it was time to celebrate a season that began with four straight losses but rebounded to keep the streak alive. The Patriots only lost two more games the rest of the way from there, and both came against the top-ranked Pensacola Catholic Crusaders (26-1).

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