Pace baseball advanced to the regional finals after defeating Tocoi Creek 12-2 in six innings. Northview will face Chipley in a decisive game tomorrow.
Key points
Pace baseball won 12-2 against Tocoi Creek
Northview will face Chipley in a decisive game
Regional semifinals are best 2-out-of-3 series
PaceTocoi CreekNorthviewChipley
A rainy Friday meant a busy Saturday of Pensacola area high school sports. Check out the scores and stats from all the action, which included Pace baseball advancing to the regional finals and Northview forcing a winner-take-all against Chipley tomorrow.
Baseball
(All regional semifinals are best 2-out-of-3 series)
Region 1-6A semifinals
No. 1 Pace 12, No. 5 Tocoi Creek 2 (6 innings, Game 1, Pace leads 1-0)
Pace scored in every inning, recording 14 hits with every batter reaching base in the mercy rule win.
Jackson Wheaton went 3-for-4 with a team-high three RBIs and Nate Filbert went 3-for-3. Bryce Hatton hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third and a walkoff double in the bottom of the sixth. Emory Allen went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
Aaron Muldowney pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six.
"Aaron, I've played with him my whole life," sophomore shortstop Dax Brooks said. "And I know he's gonna get the job done when he goes in there. He got his head dialed in. Literally the moment he stepped into that 10:30 this morning, he had his head on right."
Pace's Aaron Muldowney celebrates on the mound during the Patriots 12-2 win over Tocoi Creek in Game 1 of the Region 1-6A semifinals on May 2, 2026.
Pace's Aaron Muldowney celebrates on the mound during the Patriots 12-2 win over Tocoi Creek in Game 1 of the Region 1-6A semifinals on May 2, 2026.
Pace scratched across two runs in the bottom of the first, as Brooks scored on an Allen fielder's choice and Allen scored on a Caleb Wheeler groundout later in the inning.
Tocoi Creek starter Kaleb Stockwell, a USF commit, was pulled after two innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out one.
The Toros' Jacob Collins and Emmett Pellegrino hit back-to-back home runs on back-to-back pitches to cut Pace's lead to 3-2 in the top of the third, but Wheaton's two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the inning pushed the Patriots lead back out to three runs.
Q&A
What were the results of the Pace baseball game on May 2?
Pace baseball won against Tocoi Creek 12-2 in six innings.
Who is Northview playing in the high school baseball playoffs?
Northview is set to play against Chipley in a winner-take-all game.
What is the format for the regional semifinals in high school baseball?
The regional semifinals are played as a best 2-out-of-3 series.
What is the significance of the Pace baseball victory?
Pace's victory advances them to the regional finals in high school baseball.
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Pace continued to put runs on the board until Hatton ended the game one inning early.
No. 1 Pace 7, No. 5 Tocoi Creek 2 (Game 2, Pace wins series 2-0)
Sometimes, Pace head coach Jason McBride likes to sit back and just watch his current Patriots squad.
A group that's dedicated themselves to showing up every day and embracing the process, soaking the coaches' mantra of competing as hard as they can in any situation. An attitude that has the Patriots (26-4) back in the Region 1-6A final, with a rematch against Buchholz coming next week.
"They're excited to be at the ball field," McBride said. "When you come out during practice, they're so excited to be out here and be around each other. I love watching them. All we have to do is sit back and watch them arow some BP. These guys, they do the rest, they're excited to be out here."
Pace's Bryce Hatton tries to make a play at second base in the Region 1-6A semifinals on May 2, 2026.
Pace's Bryce Hatton tries to make a play at second base in the Region 1-6A semifinals on May 2, 2026.
For Pace (26-4), winning the game doesn't happens at the first pitch. It started Monday at practice, where the Patriots focus on every rep throughout the week, with everything building to what they do at game time. This week, that led to playing the two cleanest games McBride has seen from his team this season.
Pace didn't record an error in either game. Muldowney was rock solid in pitching all of Game 1, allowing for Hatton to mostly excel for four 1/3 innings, striking out seven, before Allen finished the final two 2/3 innings. At the plate, Pace hit throughout the entire lineup in Game 1, then didn't score a run on a hit until it plated its final three runs in the top of the seventh inning.
"We just have a lot of ballers," Hatton said. "Our one through nine, and even kids on our bench, we have a lot of ballers that dig deep and see the job done when they need to get it done."
Pace's Cam Lee puts a good swing on the ball during the Region 1-6A semifinals against Tocoi Creek on May 2, 2026.
Pace's Cam Lee puts a good swing on the ball during the Region 1-6A semifinals against Tocoi Creek on May 2, 2026.
Tocoi Creek (15-15) struck for two runs in the bottom of the first on a Tommy Glasspoole double and an Ayden Ramos single before the Patriots grinded their way to a lead. It started with a sacrifice fly from Brooks in the top of the second. Then Colin Kelly scored on a Braiden Cheshire groundout in the top of the fourth to tie the game. Muldowney stole home in the top of the fifth when Wheaton got caught in a rundown to put Pace in front, then Allen doubled the lead on an RBI groundout.
Once Pace finally got the big hits on a two-run single by Cam Lee and an RBI single by Brooks in the top of the seventh, the Patriots had completely flipped a game in which it left seven runners on base in the first three innings.
They did it just by doing what they've tried to build to all season. Play solid defense, get good pitching, put the ball in play to put pressure on the defense and be ready for any situation. A process that's worked 26 times for the Patriots this season. If it works two more times next week, Pace will be preparing for a trip to Fort Myers for the Final Four.
"They couldn't have set us up any better," Brooks said. "They know what they're doing. They've coached us right, coached us how to win and we just gotta keep competing, keep playing how they coach us to be. Can't be too big, can't be too small. Like I said, you just got to play how you play."
The two teams will play Game 2 tomorrow at 1 p.m. If Escambia wins, the two teams will play again at approximately 3 p.m. Clay needs just one win to advance to the regional final. The winner of the series will travel to No. 1 Choctawhatchee for the Region 1-4A finals, which are currently set for May 8-9.
Region 1-3A semifinals
No. 1 South Walton 10, No. 4 West Florida 0 (Game 1, Five innings, South Walton leads 1-0)
Kelan Boyd recorded the Jaguars only hit. South Walton scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning, which was plenty for senior ace Coleman Borthwick, who struck out six in five innings pitched.
No. 1 South Walton 12, No. 4 West Florida 1 (Game 2, South Walton wins series 2-0)
South Walton (26-4) broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the top of the third inning to end West Florida's season.
The Jaguars (18-9) only run came on an Owen Morgan RBI single in the bottom of the seventh.
South Walton will host either Fernandina Beach or Suwanee in the Region 1-3A final on May 8-9.
The Chiefs struggled to solve Tigers pitcher Brantley Kirkland, who allowed two runs on four hits and two walks on struck out 11 in six innings pitched and went 3-for-5 with a home run and six RBIs at the plate.
Kirkland hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, then Callen Scurlock hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning. Grayden Sheffield scored on a Bryant Mason groundout in the bottom of the inning to get Northview on the board, then Kirkland responded with a two-run single to right in the top of the fourth and Chipley wasn't threatened again.
Grayden Sheffield recorded a team-high two hits, while Luke Chavers added a hit and an RBI.
The Chiefs came out on top in a contest of wild back and forths to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Northview (19-9) led 7-0 after the top of the third inning before Chipley (16-11) tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a Caleb Culbreth grand slam and led 8-7 after four innings. The Chiefs answered with eight runs in the top of the sixth to take a 15-8 lead and pull away for good.
Bryant Mason went 4-for-6 with three RBIs at the plate and allowed an unearned run on a hit and seven walks and struck out seven in three 2/3 innings pitched on the mound to earn the win. Jase Portwood went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Sheffield went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Jackson Bridges, Taylor Curtis and Grayson Burns added a hit and two RBIs each, with Bridges hitting a leadoff home run in the top of the sixth to tie the game 8-8.
No. 3 Holmes County 2, No. 2 Jay 1 (Game 1, Holmes County leads 1-0)
Blue Devils pitcher Bryant Mathis shut down the Royals offense, allowing an unearned run on six hits and a walk while striking out 10.
Egan Segers RBI double in the bottom of the third put Holmes County on the board, then Mathis helped his own cause with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth to double the lead.
Jay's Nick Baxley singled in the top of the sixth, but the ball was misplayed and Bryson Morris scored on an error to cut the lead to 2-1. The Royals went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, spoiling a strong effort from senior ace Landon Golden, who allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks and struck out five.
No. 3 Holmes County 4, No. 2 Jay 2 (Game 2, Holmes County wins series 2-0)
The Blue Devils (14-14) ended the Royals (14-9) season for the second straight year and advances to the regional final.
Holmes County put a run on the board in the top of the first, then Rhett Boyd's two-run single in the top of the third extended the lead to 3-0.
Nick Baxley's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth cut the lead to 3-1. Holmes County's Nick Womble scored on an error in the top of the sixth to put the Blue Devils ahead 4-1, then Jax Lowery's seventh inning RBI started a potential last ditch effort for the Royals, but they ended the game with the winning run at the plate.
Baxley went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Lowery added a hit and an RBI. Holmes County's Kash Nelson allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out four.
Track and Field
Region 1-1A, 1-2A, 1-3A Championship (Pine Forest)
The Region 1-1A and 1-2A wrapped up in the morning after bad weather postponed the last few events, while the Region 1-3A meet ran on schedule.
The leaders at the end of Friday's 1A and 2A competition stayed on top to end today and bring home regional titles.
Providence swept the Region 1-1A meets. The Stallions girls totaled 116 points, while Rocky Bayou Chrisitian finished second with 77 points. Pensacola Christian finished third with 76.5 points.
The Stallions boys scored 140 points, while Blountstown finished second with 99.5 points. Pensacola Christian was the highest placing area team, finishing fourth with 70 points.
In 2A, the Bolles girls rolled to the title with 138 points, while Andrew Jackson finished second with 84 points. Pensacola Catholic was the highest placing area team, finishing seventh with 30 points.
The Raines boys won the 2A title with 117 points, nearly doubling second place Palatka, who finished second with 60 points. West Florida finished third with 54.5 points.
In 3A, the Lincoln boys edged Niceville, finishing with 122 points to the Eagles 120. Pine Forest was the highest placing area team, finishing fourth with 40 points. The Niceville girls rolled to a regional title with 129.5 points, well ahead of second place Rickards, who finished with 75 points. Tate was the area's highest placing team, finishing ninth with 20.5 points.
Below is a list of top area finishers in each event, as well as state qualifiers. The top two finishers in each event qualify for the FHSAA state championship, which will be held May 6-9 at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. The 1A meet will be May 6, the 2A meet will be May 7, and the 3A meet will be May 8.
