Middleburg High softball knows a bit or two about close finishes and Wednesday's semifinal against No. 2-seeded Tallahassee Chiles almost lifted that legacy out of the rabbit's hat with Chiles winning a 3-2 walk-off in the seventh contest to halt the Broncos' season.

Middleburg's vaunted batting lineup looked primed for a second explosive night after a rain delay moved the Tuesday game to Wednesday after Middleburg blasted Tallahassee Lincoln 17-3 in the region quarterfinal.

Middleburg broke away from Lincoln in the fifth inning with seven runs apiece in the fifth and seventh innings for the run surge.

In the fifth, a three-run double by Rylee Patterson moved the score to 6-2 with the Broncos upping the score to 17-3 in the seventh behind an RBI double from Sanford and a barrage of singles and walks.

Two days later, after giving Chiles a 2-0 lead in the first inning with two solo homers, Middleburg's defense and pitcher Karleigh Sanford locked down Chiles' batting lineup for most of the rest of the game.

In the top of the seventh, down 2-0, Middleburg's bats came alive again with an RBI single from Emma Ward scored by Jocelyn Kenirey after two field errors by Chiles. An RBI double from Izzy Pifer tied the game at 2-2.

Chiles returned to bat with a single and an error on a ground ball, setting up runners at second and in their final swings. A single to shortstop allowed the game winner in for a 3-2 final.

Middleburg finishes at 13-16 with a second ranked in the state strength of schedule of 19.3 to finish ranked 13th in Class 5A. Number one ranked in Class 5A Niceville, who faces Chiles in the region final, was the only 5A team with a higher strength of schedule.