Baker County softball team thunders into state championship game

Baker County is headed to the softball state championship game after a dominant showing in the final four. (News4JAX)

Baker County is headed to the softball state championship game after a dominant showing in the final four.

Baleigh Shields homered and Karis Richardson drove in four runs as the Wildcats crushed Plantation American Heritage 10-0 in a six inning mercy rule thrashing in the Class 4A state semifinals on Wednesday in Clermont. Baker County (21-5) will face Eustis at 7 p.m. on Thursday for the state championship.

Recommended Videos



The semifinal win was a rematch of the 2015 title game, won in a 1-0 thriller by Baker County.

Keyia Nelson, Shields, Richardson and Mallory Jackson had two hits apiece for the Wildcats, who broke open a scoreless game with a four-run fourth inning. They tacked on another five runs in the fifth and cruised. Rylee Walker whiffed five in five innings of work and Chloe Woods struck out another.


About the Author

Justin Barney joined News4Jax in February 2019, but he’s been covering sports on the First Coast for more than 20 years.

Recommended Videos