Nationally-ranked Doral Academy softball team moves closer to state final four
The Firebirds are 28-1 following Tuesday's 10-0 mercy-rule win at home over Coconut Creek Monarch in a Region 4-6A semifinal.
They are ranked No. 4 nationally by MaxPreps.
And just how dominant have they been this postseason?
Since the district playoffs began, Doral has even allowed a hit.
Senior Meagan Villazon, who stepped up and became the team's ace in the pitching circle this season, pitched her fifth no-hitter in a start of four or more innings this season on Tuesday, striking out 10 of the 15 batters she faced.
She also hit a two-run double to help Doral break open a close game with five runs in the third and three more in the fourth.
Alondra Aldebol-Borrero went 3 for 3 with a triple and an RBI while Anabela Abdullah went 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBI. Sarah Breaux went 2 for 2 with a home run, a triple and an RBI.
On Thursday, the Firebirds will next host the winner of the South Plantation-West Boca Raton semifinal which will be played on Wednesday night, in the Region 4-6A final at Doral.
MORE RESULTS
▪ Region 4-2A semifinal - Westminster Christian 9, Oxbridge Academy 8: The Warriors (19-7-1) rallied from an 8-1 deficit after five innings to keep their season alive and advance to the region final. Gigi Khoury led the comeback, finishing with a home run, two doubles and six RBI. Mya Rodgers also had a two-run double and Jasmine Armenteros went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
Westminster Christian will next host Florida Christian on Thursday in the Region 4-2A final.
▪ Region 4-2A semifinal - Florida Christian 4, Fort Pierce John Carroll 3 (10): Sienna Gillen pitched all 10 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out nine to lead the Patriots (19-8). Kianny Gil had two RBI and Shaun Fernandez had two hits.
▪ Region 4-5A semifinal - St. Thomas Aquinas 8, Pembroke Pines Charter 7: The Raiders (15-12) hung on for the win at home and will host Stuart South Fork on Thursday night in the regional final. Yenisett Yescas finished with five RBI for Pines Charter (12-15) and hit a bases-clearing double with one out in seventh to cut Aquinas' lead to 8-7. But the Jaguars were unable to drive Yescas home as the rally fell short.
▪ Region 4-7A semifinal - Western 3, Lake Worth Park Vista 0: Ali Solo gave up four hits over seven shutout innings, striking out five and walking one to lead the Wildcats (19-5-1). Analie Diaz hit a two-run home run and Katarina Kuma had an RBI.
▪ Region 4-7A semifinal - West Broward 11, Coral Reef 1 (6): Alivia Artanis went 2 for 4 with four RBI and Natalia Solorzano hit a three-run home run to lead the Bobcats (18-7) to the mercy-rule win over the top-seeded Barracudas (20-7) on Tuesday at Coral Reef. Ava DiFato and Victoria Carmona each had two hits and scored three runs for West Broward. DiFato also had two stolen bases.
Sierra Johnson and Brianna Fields each hit doubles and Marley Blanco went 1 for 2 for Coral Reef.
Sophomore Cheyanne Chaffin gave up one run in six innings, struck out six and walked three. The Bobcats will next face defending state champion Western on Thursday in the regional final.
▪ Region 4-4A semifinal - American Heritage 6, Somerset Academy 5
▪ Region 4-4A semifinal - Key West 2, Archbishop McCarthy 1
▪ Region 4-3A semifinal - Coral Springs Charter 12, St. Brendan 0 (5): Gio Gurgel went 2 for 2 with a home run and five RBI to lead the Panthers (23-3) over the Sabres (15-12). Mia Rodriguez and Addi Brown each had two RBI. Courtney Wahlbrink had two hits and an RBI triple and threw four no-hit innings, striking out seven. Coral Springs Charter will host Somerset Silver Palms on Thursday in the regional final.
▪ Region 4-3A semifinal - Somerset Silver Palms 5, Cardinal Gibbons 1
▪ Region 4-1A semifinal - Schoolhouse Prep 12, AIE Charter 2 (5): Valeria Vazquez had three hits including two doubles and an RBI. Michelle Dominguez had a three-run double as well for the Wolfpack (14-9), who will host Miami Christian (15-8) in Thursday's regional finals.
▪ Region 4-1A semifinal - Miami Christian 7, Westminster Academy 0
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
43 minutes ago
- CBS News
Doral mayor calls potential PGA Tour return to Trump National "extraordinary"
The potential return of the PGA Tour to Trump National Doral in 2026 would be an "extraordinary moment," Doral Mayor Christi Fraga said in a statement released Tuesday, calling the development a meaningful opportunity for the city and professional golf. "The return of the PGA Tour to Doral would be an extraordinary moment, bringing the tournament back to where it truly belongs," Fraga said. Trump National Doral Golf Club, which hosted PGA Tour events for more than 50 years before its removal from the schedule in 2016, is expected to rejoin the tour's calendar after nearly a decade-long absence. Fraga emphasized the role of the tournament in Doral's history and development. "Golf has always been at the heart of our city's story, and for decades, the tour played a key role in putting Doral on the map," she said. "The tour's presence in Doral fostered a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship for years, and I am truly excited about the possibility of seeing that partnership restored."
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Xander Schauffele has eight big wins and no trophies to show for it
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Don't feel bad for Xander Schauffele having to return the claret jug when he arrived at Royal Portrush to defend his title in the British Open. It's not like he had anywhere to keep it. Schauffele has won eight times in his PGA Tour career. That includes two majors, the British Open and the PGA Championship. It includes the Tour Championship in his rookie season. And it includes the Olympic gold medal from Tokyo in 2021. Where to keep it all? Not at his house. Schauffele said his parents keep all his trophies, 'probably in a bank vault.' They have a home in San Diego, and his father is building a place on Kauai, living in what Stefan Schauffele calls 'the container.' The gold medal? 'I actually have no idea where that is, to be completely honest,' Schauffele said. It's not all that surprising considering how simple Schauffele and his wife prefer to live. He celebrates a little more than Scottie Scheffler, but much like the world's No. 1 player, it's on to the next tournament to start over. 'What am I going to do with it? I don't really invite people over to my house. Am I just going to go look at it myself?' he said. 'I don't want to walk into a trophy room like, 'Look how great I am.' I was just raised to think that way, and it's kind of stuck.' That begs the question: What is on the shelves of their Florida home if not trophies? 'My wife hung up some pictures of me in my gym of me winning the Olympic medal, and she put it so high up I can't reach it,' Schauffele said. 'I have to get a ladder now, and it bothers me. If anything, put up me in a Masters jacket, like that would piss me off, you know what I mean? Something like that is more motivating.' If it were up to Schauffele, he would hang photos of his dogs. Or nothing. Maybe a clock. 'I'm always late, so maybe a clock would be good for me,' he said. He said Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley has told him to be sure to enjoy big wins, and Schauffele figures he will do that at some point. 'But right now I really want to keep my head down and keep charging,' he said. Doral in the mix? Sports Business Journal is reporting that Doral might be back on the PGA Tour schedule for the first time since the tour left it for Mexico in 2017. It cited industry sources as saying the PGA Tour plans to add the new tournament that would be April 30-May 3, which ordinarily would be a spot occupied by the Mexico Open. A PGA Tour spokesman said no such deal had been signed. The first part of the 2026 schedule already has some tweaks that include Pebble Beach and Riviera being in consecutive weeks in February, and the Nelson and Colonial in Texas being held in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2018. Getting Doral back on the schedule would be a shot across the bow for Saudi-funded LIV Golf, which has held events at Trump Doral every year since it launched in 2022. It is one of the few courses on the LIV schedule that general golf fans know. Sports Business Journal reported earlier that Doral is no the LIV schedule for 2026. For years, Doral was the lead event on the Florida swing that had one of the strongest fields. It was turned into a World Golf Championship in 2006. But then President Donald Trump bought the resort, and the PGA Tour had trouble attracting a title sponsor. One reason was the company would be overshadowed by Trump's presence. A return could signal Trump warming to the PGA Tour. He stepped into negotiations between the tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — which funds LIV Golf — in February. The two sides could not agree to an investment deal. LIV Golf has applied again to be part of the Official World Golf Ranking system. Still to be determined is whether the application mentions any changes. The OWGR denied LIV in October 2023. At issue was not the 54-hole events or not having cuts, but the closed shop of only 54 players in the league who stayed the same all year, with minimal ways for anyone to join. Bryson DeChambeau wants to see LIV get ranking points. He doesn't know what LIV will do, but he suggested that more relegation — players losing their spots with poor play — and more paths to LIV would be a start. Currently only one player gets in through its qualifier, and another comes off the Asian Tour (if he's not already on LIV). 'I think a global tour, more association to a global tour, would be great for a feeder system into LIV,' DeChambeau said. 'Those things, I think, could help quite a bit.' DeChambeau at No. 15 is the only LIV player among the top 20 in the world ranking. Majors rely on the world ranking to fill their fields, and the heads of all four majors are on the OWGR that voted down LIV's last application. 'I think it's big for us to have these players that are just jumping onboard still collect points,' DeChambeau said. 'They are deserving of it. They're playing some incredible golf every week, and I think having a system in place for us as players would benefit the ecosystem of the game tremendously, especially for fans.' Scottie Scheffler also believes it is important to rank all the golfers in the world. He just found it hard to do on different leagues, comparing it with measuring college golfers who played mostly on the West Coast with those who played on the East Coast, rarely together. 'The more often we can get the best players in the world playing together would be better, and that would only be better for the rankings as well,' he said. Divots Padraig Harrington of Ireland, a three-time major champion, has been selected to hit the opening tee shot at the British Open. Also in the first group is Tom McKibbin of Northern Ireland, who decided to join LIV Golf this year. Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland hit the opening tee shot at Royal Portrush in 2019. ... There are 48 Americans in the field at the British Open, compared with 90 American in the field at the U.S. Open. ... The British Open has 37 players making their debut in the championship. ... Hannah Darling of Scotland will make her pro debut next week in the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open. Darling played on three Curtis Cup teams. Stat of the week Max Homa was No. 15 in the world when he played the British Open last year. He is No. 101 in the world this year and playing the Barracuda Championship in California. 'Playing professional sports is a really weird thing to do. It really is. Just because we put in so much effort, we work so hard for something that's so fleeting. It really is. The feeling of winning just doesn't last that long.' — Scottie Scheffler.
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Xander Schauffele has eight big wins and no trophies to show for it
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Don't feel bad for Xander Schauffele having to return the claret jug when he arrived at Royal Portrush to defend his title in the British Open. It's not like he had anywhere to keep it. Schauffele has won eight times in his PGA Tour career. That includes two majors, the British Open and the PGA Championship. It includes the Tour Championship in his rookie season. And it includes the Olympic gold medal from Tokyo in 2021. Where to keep it all? Not at his house. Schauffele said his parents keep all his trophies, 'probably in a bank vault.' They have a home in San Diego, and his father is building a place on Kauai, living in what Stefan Schauffele calls 'the container.' The gold medal? 'I actually have no idea where that is, to be completely honest,' Schauffele said. It's not all that surprising considering how simple Schauffele and his wife prefer to live. He celebrates a little more than Scottie Scheffler , but much like the world's No. 1 player, it's on to the next tournament to start over. 'What am I going to do with it? I don't really invite people over to my house. Am I just going to go look at it myself?' he said. 'I don't want to walk into a trophy room like, 'Look how great I am.' I was just raised to think that way, and it's kind of stuck.' That begs the question: What is on the shelves of their Florida home if not trophies? 'My wife hung up some pictures of me in my gym of me winning the Olympic medal, and she put it so high up I can't reach it,' Schauffele said. 'I have to get a ladder now, and it bothers me. If anything, put up me in a Masters jacket, like that would piss me off, you know what I mean? Something like that is more motivating.' If it were up to Schauffele, he would hang photos of his dogs. Or nothing. Maybe a clock. 'I'm always late, so maybe a clock would be good for me,' he said. He said Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley has told him to be sure to enjoy big wins, and Schauffele figures he will do that at some point. 'But right now I really want to keep my head down and keep charging,' he said. Doral in the mix? Sports Business Journal is reporting that Doral might be back on the PGA Tour schedule for the first time since the tour left it for Mexico in 2017. It cited industry sources as saying the PGA Tour plans to add the new tournament that would be April 30-May 3, which ordinarily would be a spot occupied by the Mexico Open. A PGA Tour spokesman said no such deal had been signed. The first part of the 2026 schedule already has some tweaks that include Pebble Beach and Riviera being in consecutive weeks in February, and the Nelson and Colonial in Texas being held in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2018. Getting Doral back on the schedule would be a shot across the bow for Saudi-funded LIV Golf, which has held events at Trump Doral every year since it launched in 2022. It is one of the few courses on the LIV schedule that general golf fans know. Sports Business Journal reported earlier that Doral is no the LIV schedule for 2026. For years, Doral was the lead event on the Florida swing that had one of the strongest fields. It was turned into a World Golf Championship in 2006. But then President Donald Trump bought the resort, and the PGA Tour had trouble attracting a title sponsor. One reason was the company would be overshadowed by Trump's presence. A return could signal Trump warming to the PGA Tour. He stepped into negotiations between the tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia — which funds LIV Golf — in February. The two sides could not agree to an investment deal. LIV and OWGR LIV Golf has applied again to be part of the Official World Golf Ranking system. Still to be determined is whether the application mentions any changes. The OWGR denied LIV in October 2023. At issue was not the 54-hole events or not having cuts, but the closed shop of only 54 players in the league who stayed the same all year, with minimal ways for anyone to join. Bryson DeChambeau wants to see LIV get ranking points. He doesn't know what LIV will do, but he suggested that more relegation — players losing their spots with poor play — and more paths to LIV would be a start. Currently only one player gets in through its qualifier, and another comes off the Asian Tour (if he's not already on LIV). 'I think a global tour, more association to a global tour, would be great for a feeder system into LIV,' DeChambeau said. 'Those things, I think, could help quite a bit.' DeChambeau at No. 15 is the only LIV player among the top 20 in the world ranking. Majors rely on the world ranking to fill their fields, and the heads of all four majors are on the OWGR that voted down LIV's last application. 'I think it's big for us to have these players that are just jumping onboard still collect points,' DeChambeau said. 'They are deserving of it. They're playing some incredible golf every week, and I think having a system in place for us as players would benefit the ecosystem of the game tremendously, especially for fans.' Scottie Scheffler also believes it is important to rank all the golfers in the world. He just found it hard to do on different leagues, comparing it with measuring college golfers who played mostly on the West Coast with those who played on the East Coast, rarely together. 'The more often we can get the best players in the world playing together would be better, and that would only be better for the rankings as well,' he said. Divots Padraig Harrington of Ireland, a three-time major champion, has been selected to hit the opening tee shot at the British Open. Also in the first group is Tom McKibbin of Northern Ireland, who decided to join LIV Golf this year. Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland hit the opening tee shot at Royal Portrush in 2019. ... There are 48 Americans in the field at the British Open, compared with 90 American in the field at the U.S. Open. ... The British Open has 37 players making their debut in the championship. ... Hannah Darling of Scotland will make her pro debut next week in the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open. Darling played on three Curtis Cup teams. Stat of the week Max Homa was No. 15 in the world when he played the British Open last year. He is No. 101 in the world this year and playing the Barracuda Championship in California. Final word 'Playing professional sports is a really weird thing to do. It really is. Just because we put in so much effort, we work so hard for something that's so fleeting. It really is. The feeling of winning just doesn't last that long.' — Scottie Scheffler. ___ AP golf:
