MIDDLEBURG - Oakleaf High softball returned from a tough outing at the always-tough Kissimmee Klassic Softball Invite with a roster of 4A-Jensen Beach (region semifinalist), 6A-Melbourne (unbeaten 20-0, ninth-ranked in USA, region semifinalist), 6A-Dwyer, 6A-Doral Academy (9-1, Final Four last year) and 4A-Jensen Beach (region finalist) on their hit list while Middleburg stayed closer to home with wins over 7A-Mandarin, 7A-Columbia (overcame 8-3 deficit to win in seven innings 11-10 off Kerra Clarida two-run homer and KK Hagan 2RBI double), 7A-Creekside (12-1 before losses to Oakleaf and Middleburg), 2A-Providence and a Monday homerfest over 1A-Branford (1A runnerups last year) as both teams amp up for a much-anticipated showdown on Thurs., April 11.

"We have one more game before that one; University Christian (2A champions) on Tuesday, and then we will start thinking about that game," said a coy Middleburg coach Ashley Houston, riding a 15-1 overall slate after Monday's three dinger 9-1 win over Branford, a 16-5, fifth-ranked in Class 1A squad, looking to dip into the Class 5A powerhouse's backyard. "Tonight, we looked sharp in most aspects of the game, but we are always making adjustments."
For Oakleaf, their road trip got wins over Jensen Beach, 3-0, and Dwyer, 5-1, with losses to Melbourne, 9-3, and Doral Academy, 4-0, with Bartram Trail on Tuesday then Middleburg at Oakleaf on Thursday.
Against Jensen Beach, coach Heather Han got 11 strikeouts from Charlotte Maddox who has emerged as a legit big bat for the Knights with a run batted in as well. Maddox feeds off leadoff batter Meshayla Pettaway's fast feet to get on base with Maddox following usually with bases on the line; her RBI coming early with Pettaway on base. Two innings later, it was Pettaway with an RBI single to bring in Jaydyn Beall. In the fourth, Oakleaf's third big bat, Amya Mirelez singled and scored off a Desiree Norris single.
Melbourne unloaded with a five-run second inning in game two with Oakleaf able to regroup to beat Dwyer with their five-run fourth inning with a barrage of bats led by a Mirelez double.
Against Doral Academy, the Oakleaf bats met a buzzsaw in pitcher Yessenia Lopez who turned away 16 whiffs in the 4-0 loss to the Knights.
On the mound, Oakleaf has Maddox with 58 strikeouts and a 1.44 earned runs average while Middleburg will likely start senior Morgan Beckham who has 73 strikeouts but, in the bullpen, Houston has steadily improving junior Lily Bennett with 63 strikeouts.
Bennett started against Branford, and after a wild pitch in the first inning allowed the lone Buccaneer run, locked down the bats with six strikeouts. Bennett benefitted from great defensive plays at third from Madisyn Strickland, who snagged definite extra bases shot down the third base line with a hard toss to first, shortstop K.K. Hagen snagging two hard grounders for inning-ending groundouts, and, in the final stanza, a laser throw from centerfielder Mika Wesley to second baseman Isabell Pifer that squashed a late attempt to stretch a long single to a double.
"It is great to have my teammates play defense with such effort behind me," said Bennett. "I have to give back to them by throwing my best on the mound and getting outs also."
For Houston, the homer-fest started with the double-barreled action of Alyssa Prather and Kerra Clarida at the top of the lineup going yard back-to-back in the fifth with Clarida hitting hers with Hagan on base before Prather doubled up in the sixth with Clarida on base as Middleburg ran away with the game.
"The girls' experience in big games over the years is an advantage to the whole lineup because they all talk to each other before and after segments of the game," said Houston. "We do a lot of work on adjustments according to what the pitcher does. That's how things like tonight happen."