Baker County closed the door on Belleview’s state championship dreams Wednesday evening, 6-4, to seal the program's first bid to the 5A State Championship game.
Belleview (24-7) was first to get on the board at Historic Dodgertown, when Alex Suzuki hit a line-drive over second to bring home Kayla Brooks.
In a cat and mouse contest, it was Baker County (23-4) who rallied in the second-inning scoring two runs to tie things up, 3-3.
It would stay knotted up until Wildcats' shortstop Dee Washington’s single brought in pinch-runner Hailey Selling. First baseman Hayleigh Mulkey then stepped up to double deep into left, scoring two more runners, putting Baker County up 6-3 in the fifth.
The Rattlers' third baseman Suzuki opened the bottom of the sixth with a deep solo homerun over center to cut the lead to two.
And that’s as close as they would get as Baker County’s infield proved too efficient keeping Belleview away from home the rest of the way.
Sophomore Macy Jackson controlled the tempo from the circle for the Wildcats striking out eight.
Baker County will go on to play the winner of Boca Ciega and American Heritage in the 5A State Final Thursday at 7:00pm Live on BHSN Channel 1147.