Big Third Inning Lifts Sebring To District 5A-7 Title

The 2024 District 5A-7 champion Sebring Blue Streaks. *Photo from @SebringHighSchoolBaseball-HomeOfTheBlueStreaks.

All season long, the Sebring Blue Streaks have saved their best for when it is needed the most. So with the chance to earn an automatic berth into the state playoffs and also add another trophy to the team display case, Sebring once again rose to the challenge to earn a 7-2 victory over the Lake Wales Highlanders in Thursday’s District 5A-7 championship.

Sebring (18-8) now advances into the regional playoffs that begin next week, where they will host the Deltona Wolves on Tuesday night in a Region 5A-2 quarterfinal. The Blue Streaks also enjoy a bit of revenge, after falling to the Highlanders (13-13) in last year’s title game. But that 2023 club went on to make a run to the state Final Four, and now the team has earned the chance to get back there again this postseason.

A five-run third inning paved the way to victory. Trailing 2-0, Sebring sent nine batters to the plate to bat around the order and roar back to take a 5-2 advantage. Clayton Evans and Cole Travers both walked, and Trevor Carter reached on a fielder’s choice that erased the lead runner. Blayne Humphrey then tied the game with a two-RBI double on a liner to center, before he was then caught out at third on a fielder’s choice from Jamarcus Gomez. Gomez then came in with the go-ahead run on an RBI single from Coby Moesching.

Sebring Manager Jason DeWitt, with his four seniors: George Sebring, Clayton Evans, Rhett Vaughn and Trevor Carter. *Photo from @SebringHighSchoolBaseball-HomeOfTheBlueStreaks.

The hits kept coming. Freshman Jett DeWitt lined an RBI double to center to plate Moesching, and he then also scored off an RBI double from freshman Trey Holman. Jett DeWitt was 2-for-3, the only player for either team to collect multiple hits.

The Blue Streaks added two more insurance runs an inning later. Evans and Carter drew back-to-back walks to put some ducks on the pond to start the bottom of the fourth, and Humphrey put the ball in play to reach on an error that loaded the bases. A wild pitch then allowed courtesy-runner Roman Giovanetti to come home, and Travers followed with the final run of the night off a sac-fly RBI from Gomez.

Lake Wales got both of its runs in taking the lead in the top of the third. Diego Colon led off the frame with a base hit to center, and then Carter Finnell was hit by a pitch and Landon Rubio singled to fill the bases. Bryson Woods got the scoring going with an RBI single to center, and Levi Cutts plated Rubio with an RBI sac-fly to center.

The 2024 Lake Wales Highlanders, together on the playing field for the final time. Players kept excellent perspective to remain in good spirits despite the loss, a testament to a special group of players. *Photo from @LakeWalesHighSchool.

The Highlanders also earned an at-large berth into the regional playoffs. Lake Wales will host the River Ridge Knights on Tuesday night in 5A-2.

The Blue Streaks have certainly proven themselves heading into the 2024 playoffs, with a balanced attack and a roster that gets contributions from everyone. Sebring began the season by going 3-0 at the Bill Jarrett Early Bird Tournament at Avon Park as part of a 5-0 start, and they also went 3-0 to win the Blue Streak Invitational Spring Break tournament they hosted at Sebring. Including its 17-2 win over Liberty in the 5A-7 semifinals, the team is undefeated in tournament play this year.

The road to the state Final Four is never easy, and it takes some luck along the way. But the 2024 Sebring Blue Streaks embody exactly the sort of makeup seen by teams at the state tournament each year, and they will be an exciting club to follow and root for in the playoffs.

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