By Rick Pedone

Sports Editor

Harmony will take the more difficult path through the softball regional playoffs after losing the 4A District 6 championship game, 4-3, to Eustis Thursday at Longhorn field.

The Panthers, 21-4, took advantage of three unearned runs, including the game-winner in the top of the seventh inning, to collect the victory.

The news for local teams was no better at the 5A District 5 semifinals at Osceola, where the Kowgirls ran into district buzzsaw Lake Wales, last year’s Class 4A runner-up, and its whirling-fan-blade pitcher Hannah Rogers.

The righthander surrendered just one hit, faced the minimum 21 batters and struck out 11 as the Highlanders (23-4) ended OHS’ season in 8-0 fashion.

Harmony, 13-9, will travel to District 5 champion Dunnellon Tuesday at 7 p.m. for the opening round of the regional playoffs. Dunnellon blanked Belleview, 12-0, for the title Thursday.

“We just didn’t play very well overall,” Harmony Coach Ralph King said. “I think all the time off we had the past couple of weeks hurt us.”

Since the Kissimmee Klassic three weeks ago, Harmony played just seven games and only two since the Dunnellon tournament over spring break.

The Horns trailed 3-0 in the fifth inning after a two-run throwing error, but they battled back as third baseman Christina Brown drilled a two-run single with two out in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score.

Eustis scored the winning run, unearned, when Kristin Burgess came around from second on an infield grounder.

Down 4-3 with two outs in the seventh, Harmony senior first baseman Emily Lanier singled after a 10-pitch at-bat, and pitcher Breann Vanderzyl followed with a single, but Brown’s sharply hit grounder led to a game-ending force out.

Lanier, who drove in Tiffany Endreson for Harmony’s first run in the fifth inning, Vanderzyl and Brown each had two hits.

“Christina had the big hit for us in the fifth inning, and she hit the last ball sharply, just right at someone,” King said.

King said his team is ready for the challenge of playing Dunnellon, 26-1 and ranked No. 2 in Class 4A.

“We might as well get the tough one out of the way first,” King said. “It’s okay. We’ll go on to fight another day.”

Harmony blanked Tavares, 4-0, in the semifinals Wednesday as Vanderzyl homered and pitched a one-hitter to earn the win. Taylor Ellis doubled and drove in two runs.

St. Cloud lost to Eustis, 9-0, Wednesday, ending its season at 14-8.

Osceola (18-9) trailed 2-0 in the fifth when Lake Wales broke the game open with five fifth-inning runs. Shortstop Beka Rogers, who tripled to lead off the second inning and scored its first run, opened the floodgates with another three-bagger that drove in two more runs.

OHS Coach George Coffey said his team knew it faced a daunting task, but did not go into the game intimidated.

“We were loose and ready when we came out, but (Rogers), she’s the real deal, a horse that they’re going to ride a long way,” he said. “Were we overmatched and overpowered? Probably.”

Down 7-0, Osceola got its first and only baserunner when outfielder Morgan Crapo lined a one-out single into right field, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double.

“The kids still believed and never quit fighting, like they have all year long,” Coffey said. “We just got in trouble in the fifth. They’re a great squad.”

Lake Wales played Haines City, an 11-4 winner over Sebring on Thursday, in Friday’s district championship.

Liberty was blanked by Sebring, 11-0, Wednesday at the 5A-5 tournament at Osceola. It finished 6-12.

Ken Jackson contributed to this story.