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Seventy-six days ago, Pace softball lost to Parrish Community 12-1 at a tournament in Panama City.
But junior ace Hannah DeMarcus didn't pitch that day. She previously stymied the Bulls in the 2025 6A state semifinal, allowing just one hit and striking out 13 in a 2-0 win. One year later as the two team met again in the same game at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, DeMarcus made the difference again.
The Auburn commit allowed one run on three hits and struck out 10 in a 2-1 win to send the Patriots to their fourth straight 6A state championship game.
Pace will play the winner of Doral Academy/Bartow in the 6A state championship at 3 p.m. CT on May 23.
DeMarcus got the best of Parrish in another pitchers duel for the Patriots at the state championships. Parrish Community junior Emmaline Van Beck, a Barry commit, also had a strong day in the circle, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine.
The Bulls (18-6-1) lone run came in the top of the second when Alysa Jones crushed a 2-1 pitch well over the right field fence. Parrish's best chance after that came in the top of the fourth, when they looked to have runners with first and third with two outs but Bulls courtesy runner Ansley McCoy was called out on the base paths.
Pace (26-4) had just one hit in the first four innings, before breaking through for their two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Kennedy Franz led off with a double, the Patriots first extra base hit of the day. Laila Loomis bunted her way on two batters later. Then with two outs, Gracie Ueberroth tied the game with a single that just got into centerfield and Ashley Pickard followed with a double to put the Patriots in front.
That was Pace's last hit of the day, but enough for DeMarcus to put the game away. Even after Parrish Community put runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the sixth following a brief rain delay, DeMarcus struck out Van Beck to end the threat. Then she put down the Bulls 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to clinch another state championship appearance.
Pace has won four straight state semifinals despite not scoring more than three runs in any of those games. Ueberroth and Jones were the only player on either side to record multi-hit games, with both going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Patriots will face a familiar opponent in the state championship, no matter the opponent. Bartow beat Pace in the 2023 state championship before Pace returned the favor in 2024. The Patriots lost to Doral Academy 1-0 in the 2025 6A title game.
Seniors Britten Kettler and Kamryn Pierce are the only players remaining from the 2024 state championship team, and an additional seven players were on last year's team. Pace returned to Longwood for its sixth straight Final Four this year with only one goal in mind.
"We’re all so motivated because we know what it felt like to lose, especially in a close game like that, 1-0," DeMarcus said after the Patriots Region 1-6A final win. "So we all have such motivation and grit to go back and win it, especially for the girls who it’s their last year.”
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pace softball reaches fourth straight state final
Continue reading...
But junior ace Hannah DeMarcus didn't pitch that day. She previously stymied the Bulls in the 2025 6A state semifinal, allowing just one hit and striking out 13 in a 2-0 win. One year later as the two team met again in the same game at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, DeMarcus made the difference again.
The Auburn commit allowed one run on three hits and struck out 10 in a 2-1 win to send the Patriots to their fourth straight 6A state championship game.
Pace will play the winner of Doral Academy/Bartow in the 6A state championship at 3 p.m. CT on May 23.
DeMarcus got the best of Parrish in another pitchers duel for the Patriots at the state championships. Parrish Community junior Emmaline Van Beck, a Barry commit, also had a strong day in the circle, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine.
The Bulls (18-6-1) lone run came in the top of the second when Alysa Jones crushed a 2-1 pitch well over the right field fence. Parrish's best chance after that came in the top of the fourth, when they looked to have runners with first and third with two outs but Bulls courtesy runner Ansley McCoy was called out on the base paths.
Pace (26-4) had just one hit in the first four innings, before breaking through for their two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Kennedy Franz led off with a double, the Patriots first extra base hit of the day. Laila Loomis bunted her way on two batters later. Then with two outs, Gracie Ueberroth tied the game with a single that just got into centerfield and Ashley Pickard followed with a double to put the Patriots in front.
That was Pace's last hit of the day, but enough for DeMarcus to put the game away. Even after Parrish Community put runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the sixth following a brief rain delay, DeMarcus struck out Van Beck to end the threat. Then she put down the Bulls 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to clinch another state championship appearance.
Pace has won four straight state semifinals despite not scoring more than three runs in any of those games. Ueberroth and Jones were the only player on either side to record multi-hit games, with both going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Patriots will face a familiar opponent in the state championship, no matter the opponent. Bartow beat Pace in the 2023 state championship before Pace returned the favor in 2024. The Patriots lost to Doral Academy 1-0 in the 2025 6A title game.
Seniors Britten Kettler and Kamryn Pierce are the only players remaining from the 2024 state championship team, and an additional seven players were on last year's team. Pace returned to Longwood for its sixth straight Final Four this year with only one goal in mind.
"We’re all so motivated because we know what it felt like to lose, especially in a close game like that, 1-0," DeMarcus said after the Patriots Region 1-6A final win. "So we all have such motivation and grit to go back and win it, especially for the girls who it’s their last year.”
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pace softball reaches fourth straight state final
Continue reading...
