Eau Gallie was eliminated by Lake Wales in the Class 4A, Region 2 softball finals, losing 3-0. The defeat marked a reversal from last year's matchup, where Eau Gallie won.
Key points
Eau Gallie eliminated in softball regional finals
Lake Wales won 3-0 against Eau Gallie
The game was a rematch from last year's finals
Eau Gallie struggled with hitting and discipline
Head coach Gabe Caride commented on the team's performance
Eau GallieLake WalesClass 4A Region 2
Eau Gallie, Melbourne eliminated in softball regional finals
Eau Gallie and Lake Wales met for the second-straight year in the Class 4A, Region 2 softball final on Thursday, May 14, with a trip to the state semifinals on the line.
Lake Wales avenged a 3-1 loss from last year by defeating the Commodores 3-0.
“It was a great game battling between pitchers. We just didn’t hit. We didn’t string them together. We didn’t do our job. We didn’t have productive at-bats. We weren’t disciplined,” Eau Gallie head coach Gabe Caride said. “That happens. We just came out flat. We didn’t have the same momentum or the same gas in the tank.”
Lake Wales players celebrate their 3-0 win over Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Leah “Spike” Pechart of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales grounder in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Kiley Manning and Mattie Cockrell of Lake Wales celebrate a nice play against Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Q&A
What was the final score of the Eau Gallie vs. Lake Wales softball game?
Lake Wales defeated Eau Gallie 3-0 in the regional finals.
Why did Eau Gallie lose the softball regional finals?
Eau Gallie struggled with hitting and lacked productive at-bats, according to head coach Gabe Caride.
How did Eau Gallie's performance compare to last year's game against Lake Wales?
Eau Gallie lost this year after winning 3-1 against Lake Wales in the previous year's matchup.
When did Eau Gallie and Lake Wales play in the softball regional finals?
Eau Gallie and Lake Wales played in the regional finals on Thursday, May 14.
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Zamora McBurrows pitches for Lake Wales against in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Kyra Williams of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Leah “Spike” Pechart of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales grounder in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Izzy Gambill of Eau Gallie makes a sliding catch against Lake Wales in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Eau Gallie players meet in the pitchers circle during the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
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Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Lake Wales players celebrate their 3-0 win over Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
1 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Lake Wales players celebrate their 3-0 win over Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
2 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Leah “Spike” Pechart of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales grounder in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
3 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Kiley Manning and Mattie Cockrell of Lake Wales celebrate a nice play against Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
4 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Zamora McBurrows pitches for Lake Wales against in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
5 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Kyra Williams of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
6 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Leah “Spike” Pechart of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales grounder in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
7 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Izzy Gambill of Eau Gallie makes a sliding catch against Lake Wales in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
8 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Eau Gallie players meet in the pitchers circle during the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
The Commodores struggled to generate offense against Lake Wales junior Zamirya McBurrows. Eau Gallie finished the night with a season-low two hits and five walks.
Thursday marked their first shutout defeat of the season. The previous season-low of 1 run took place on April 3.
“I think it was hard to make good, disciplined moves, especially when we were getting some calls that I feel were borderline calls,” Caride said. “That’s something that we have to make adjustments as a team collectively. I do think that she (McBurrows) had a good change of pace in regards to her rhythm and speed.”
Lake Wales players celebrate their 3-0 win over Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Leah “Spike” Pechart of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales grounder in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Kiley Manning and Mattie Cockrell of Lake Wales celebrate a nice play against Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Zamora McBurrows pitches for Lake Wales against in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Kyra Williams of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Leah “Spike” Pechart of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales grounder in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Izzy Gambill of Eau Gallie makes a sliding catch against Lake Wales in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Eau Gallie players meet in the pitchers circle during the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
1 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Lake Wales players celebrate their 3-0 win over Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
1 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Lake Wales players celebrate their 3-0 win over Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
2 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Leah “Spike” Pechart of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales grounder in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
3 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Kiley Manning and Mattie Cockrell of Lake Wales celebrate a nice play against Eau Gallie in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
4 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Zamora McBurrows pitches for Lake Wales against in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
5 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Kyra Williams of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
6 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Leah “Spike” Pechart of Eau Gallie fields a Lake Wales grounder in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
7 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Izzy Gambill of Eau Gallie makes a sliding catch against Lake Wales in the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
8 / 8
Lake Wales ends Eau Gallie's softball season with 3-0 victory
Eau Gallie players meet in the pitchers circle during the state Class 4A Region 2 softball finals May 14, 2026. Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
McBurrows didn’t allow a hit until the 4th inning when junior Abigail Latulippe singled to right field. Senior Jordan Stout singled to lead off the seventh.
Eau Gallie’s best opportunity of scoring a run was in the first. After two walks, Lake Wales turned a double play on a fly out to right field and an out at the plate of junior Leah Pechart.
The Commodores were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.
“She (McBurrows) was bringing velocity, but slowing down her rhythm and then were times that was mixing it and speeding it up," Caride said. "It kind of kept the girls off balance. I think she did a great job. Tip my hat to the coach and to their team. We didn’t make enough plays."
Stout, in her final high school game, threw a complete game, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, 2 walks and 2 hit by pitches.
The senior kept Eau Gallie in the game despite dealing with traffic on the base paths all night. Lake Wales stranded 9 baserunners.
The Highlanders scored in the 1st inning on a 2-out RBI single by sophomore Mattie Cockrell. Stout stranded a pair of runners in third and left the bases loaded in the fourth with a fly out.
Lake Wales tacked on two runs in the sixth. After two hit by pitches to begin the frame, senior Karsyn Maddox singled home a run and sophomore Kyra Williams brought home the third run on a ground out to second base.
Eau Gallie finished the season with a 23-4 record. It graduates six seniors.
“At the end of the day, I love the girls. They know that. I feel bad for them that we had to end it off with a 3-0 loss,” Caride said. “At the end of the day, it’s something that I feel like they’re going to grow from it as individuals. I’m really proud of them for that. They all have shown growth.”
Lake Wales (24-6) 100 002 0 – 3 8 0
Eau Gallie (23-4) – 000 000 0 – 0 2 1
Class 6A, Region 2
Bartow 8, Melbourne 0
For the third time since 2022, Melbourne squared off against Bartow in the regional final for a spot in the Final Four.
The Bulldogs squandered early-inning opportunities, shifting the momentum to the Yellow Jackets’ side. Bartow broke the game open with a 4-run 3rd inning and never looked back.
Melbourne stranded a runner in scoring position in the first. In the third trailing 1-0, the Bulldogs loaded the bases with nobody out after a Tyrah Powell walk and back-to-back singles by Brookelynn Dolin and Madison Rider.
Bartow escaped unscathed on a pickoff at third base and consecutive strikeouts. It was the final inning that Melbourne featured multiple runners on base.