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South Walton’s Parker Granse calls for time at second base during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
Niceville starter Ethan Thomas throws during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
South Walton OF Nathan Whitney scoops up a bouncer during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
Niceville infielder Colton Cook makes a defensive stop during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
Niceville starter Ethan Thomas pitches during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
South Walton head coach Nick Borthwick meets with the umpires before the start of the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
Niceville head coach Justin Bruce discusses strategy during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
South Walton starting pitcher Coleman Borthwick delivers to the plate during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
South Walton’s Vaughn Howard sits on the ground after an inning ending out during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
The Eagles gather on the mound during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
Niceville’s Ethan Thomas dives back to first as South Walton’s Coleman Borthwick reaches for the ball during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
South Walton starting pitcher Coleman Borthwick eyes a new Eagles batter during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
Niceville infielder Boston Browning snares a bouncer near third during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
The ceremonial first pitch is thrown by a youngster during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
The Seahawks battery gathers at the pond during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
South Walton reliever Parker Granse closes out the 3-0 win during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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South Walton baseball avenges loss, advances to 3A state title game
South Walton starting pitcher Coleman Borthwick in action during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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South Walton baseball avenges loss, advances to 3A state title game
South Walton starting pitcher Coleman Borthwick in action during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
South Walton baserunner Parker Granse dives back to third during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
Niceville’s Colton Cook points towards the Eagles dugout after hitting a double during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
South Walton’s Noah Coleman slides safely into third during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
South Walton’s Parker Granse calls for time at second base during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
Niceville starter Ethan Thomas throws during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
South Walton OF Nathan Whitney scoops up a bouncer during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
Niceville infielder Colton Cook makes a defensive stop during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
Niceville starter Ethan Thomas pitches during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
South Walton head coach Nick Borthwick meets with the umpires before the start of the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
Niceville head coach Justin Bruce discusses strategy during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
South Walton starting pitcher Coleman Borthwick delivers to the plate during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
South Walton’s Vaughn Howard sits on the ground after an inning ending out during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
The Eagles gather on the mound during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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Choctaw, SoWal baseball get No. 1 region seeds; Niceville No. 2
Niceville’s Ethan Thomas dives back to first as South Walton’s Coleman Borthwick reaches for the ball during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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USA MVP, South Walton ace Coleman Borthwick continues to dominate
South Walton starting pitcher Coleman Borthwick eyes a new Eagles batter during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
Niceville infielder Boston Browning snares a bouncer near third during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
The ceremonial first pitch is thrown by a youngster during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
The Seahawks battery gathers at the pond during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
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SoWal pitcher Coleman Borthwick overpowers Eagles hitters in 3-0 win
South Walton reliever Parker Granse closes out the 3-0 win during the Niceville South Walton baseball game at Niceville.
FORT MYERS — South Walton baseball got its redemption against Miami Springs. Now, for the third straight year, one win is all that seperates the Seahawks from the program's first state title.
Fueled by a gutsy, 11-strikeout performance from Coleman Borthwick where he stranded nine amid a season-high eight hits allowed, a three-run second frame from South Walton and a six-out save by Parker Granse, the Seahawks avenged last year's 2-1 state championship loss to the Golden Hawks with a 6-2 win in Wednesday's 3A state semifinal at Hammond Stadium.
That's six wins down, one to go for Borthwick's top-seeded crew, who is 29-4 and unbeaten in the postseason with a 72-6 run differential. Wednesday's two runs allowed were the most all postseason by the Seahawks, and it could've been much worse had Borthwick and Granse not combined to hold Miami Springs' bat to a 2-for-14 clip with runners in scoring position.
Borthwick stranded the bases loaded in the fourth inning with a groundout to third and then, after allowing three straight hits and a run to start the fifth, induced a force out at third and got back-to-back strikeouts to end the night with 11 Ks. His last pitch of the night was his 100th, capping off a campaign where he went 10-0 with a 0.21 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings.
Borthwick got all the support he needed in the second frame from some Seahawks small ball.
Declan Fowler got things started with a one-out walk and Carter Hawk moved him to second on a single to left. After a Jayden Cunningham pop out, Hudson Quinn hit a high dribbler off the plate up the middle that left the second baseman with no play at second or first. Fowler took advantage of the second-baseman's bobble and beat the throw home to put the Seahawks up 1-0. After an intentional walk to Borthwick, Whitney drove in a pair with a two-out base knock to left.
The next inning Granse reached on a bunt single and stole second, moved to third on a Didier flyout to right and scored on a suicide squeeze by Fowler. Cunningham later drove in Fowler in the sixth on an RBI double and was driven home on a single to left by Borthwick for the final insurance run.
That run support proved valuable with Miami Springs threatening late.
Down 4-1 in the sixth, Miami Springs put runners on first and second after reliever Griffin Loy hit back-to-back batters. In came Granse, who escaped the game by getting a strikeout, an RBI groundout and another K to end the threat. In the seventh he allowed two hits before stranding the tying run on deck by inducing a blooper to left that was snagged by a lunging Vaughn Howard. Howard's glove was a constant on the night, the junior getting a tough force out at third in the fifth with runners on first and second with no outs before Borthwick escaped the jam. His snag for the final out also left Granse's left arm available to pitch in Thursday's state championship after falling short of 30 pitches.
Now South Walton prepares for the winner of third-seeded South Sumter and second-seeded North Broward. First pitch for the 3A state championship is 7 p.m. (EDT) Thursday at Hammond Stadium.
