GREEN COVE SPRINGS - When his softball season started, Clay High softball coach Matt Lewis had a bit of enthusiasm for the youth of his incoming team and even said "This could be a very fun and interesting season."
Fun and interesting as it was with the Lady Blue Devils having a season of ups and downs, but never for lacking of spirit all gathered for a district championship on Wednesday as a walk off double in the eighth inning by junior Grace Miller, one of the "seasoned" players on Lewis' squad ignited an eruption in the dugout to bring a 5-4 district 4-4A championship against a tough Pedro Menendez team.
"I have said that this team will be tested throughout the season as most of them are very young players with only a little experience at the varsity level and at the high school level, but I am more than excited about the season," said Lewis, in a preseason question as he watched his young squad going through early season drills. "I'm invigorated to coach again because of these kids."
Lewis was uncanny in his prophecy as his team never took the foot off the gas pedal against Menendez, at 10-11, and a senior laden squad, that tested the 15-10 Blue Devils with the first three innings going scoreless behind both pitchers; Sadie Russo for Clay with 10 strikeouts and Madelyn Brown, a senior, for Menendez, with nine strikeouts (four in first two Clay at bats), controling the game's tempo.
In the fourth, Miller had her first RBI with a single with two baserunners; Brooke Hamilton and Hailey Hackett to put Clay up 1-0, then it was a second error putting run two up with KK Rouw's single and Hamilton smashing a hard shot to the Menendez shortstop that got bobbled to up the score to 2-0.
Russo stumbled a bit in the sixth to let Menendez score with a single and double for one run and two walks and a single cashing in the tying run.
In the bottom of the seventh, Clay had a shot to cash in with Amiah Carrubba and Kaitlyn Howell on base, but Brown whiffed Hailie Miera to put the game into overtime.
With Russo still pitching, Menendez upped the pace with the eighth inning overtime format (runner placed at second base to start) with a sacrifice bunt and single giving Menendez the lead at 3-2, the a double adding one more before Clay's defense snagged two fly balls.
Again, with a runner at second base, D'Rheah Watson, Hackett singled off a bunt to move Watson to third with Bailei Jackson hitting a grounder to third that got delayed enough on the throw to keep baserunners in tact before Miller smashed her gamewinner to left field to ice the game.

Region 1-4A Lineup
Class 4A ranking

1. Baker County 17-4
6. Fort Walton Beach 16-8
7. Columbia 13-10
10. Arnold 16-7
19. Clay 15-10
26. Escambia 14-7
30. Menendez 10-10
38. Choctawhatchee 5-17
Top Eight advance to regions

42. Pine Forest 10-7
48. Rickards 9-11
58. St. Augustine 0-23
62. Washington 4-20
64. Riverside 2-13
66. Ed White 2-9