Bartow softball beats Pace for 9th state championship

Yellow Jacket score four runs in 7th inning to win Class 6A title

CLERMONT, Fla. – When backed into a corner, the Bartow Yellow Jackets know how to fight back on the softball field – and win.

For the second time in two days, Bartow pulled out a heart-stopping victory in the seventh inning – this time against Pace, 5-1, to win the Class 6A state championship at Legends Way Ball Fields on Saturday afternoon. It is the ninth state championship for the Yellow Jackets, but first since 2016.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the top of the seventh, Alyssa Hillman ended up with the game-winning hit on a two-out, RBI-single, scoring Chelysei Brisbane. Hillman then came home on a double by Destiny Driskell, Kynley Quartermaine stole home, and Driskell scored on a double by Julia Heter – all off Pace star pitcher Jayden Heavener, an LSU commit and one of the top pitchers in the country.

A four-run seventh inning lifted Bartow to the 2023 FHSAA 6A softball state championship, the program's ninth state softball title

The late rally made a winner out of Florida commit Katelynn Oxley, a junior who pitched a complete-game, two-hitter, striking out 16. The game pitted two of the highest-ranked softball teams in Florida, with Pace (28-2) coming in at No. 2 all classes, and Bartow (29-3), No. 3, in the FHSAA Power Rankings.

“The state championship was an awesome accomplishment by our girls because of the adversity this team has faced,” said Bartow coach Glenn Rutenbar, who, in his 34th season at the Polk County school, has led the Yellow Jackets to an astounding 14 state title game appearances. Donna Byars coached Bartow to its last state championship in 2016.

“We were behind in several games this year, but these girls never quit,” Rutenbar said. “The last two state games were a prime example of how this team responded under pressure. This team wasn’t handed or given anything, they earned it.”

In a state semifinal on Friday, Bartow rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat defending state runner-up Doral Academy. The Yellow Jackets scored once in the fourth, and then twice more in the bottom of the seventh to win it 3-2.

Bartow had to battle again in the state title game. The Jackets struck first in the third inning when Quartermaine scored on a passed ball.

But Pace fought back, tying things at 1-1 in the fourth inning when Shelby McKenzie scored on an error. And the score remained that way until the seventh as Heavener held Bartow to just one hit through six innings.

The bottom then fell out for the talented junior in the seventh. It was the first loss against a Florida team all season for the Patriots, who fell to Orange Beach (Ala.), on April 24.

“It was a great game,” Heavener said. “We knew it would be close. We were tied until the seventh. A very tight strike zone made it tough to pitch around batters; that, and rare errors. We just couldn’t get our bats going in the bottom of the seventh.

“I love this team and this is the first time since 2007 that we made it to the state finals,” Heavener said. “We will be back next year. I am so proud of this team. I love our coaches so much and can’t wait for next year.”

Bartow finished the season with an 11-game win streak and figures to be a state title contender again next year as the Jackets lose no seniors.

“I’m so proud of these girls and I was so excited to see this team win a state championship,” Rutenbar said. “They deserved it. Hard work and handling adversity was the key to this team.”