Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Florala went all three games in a baseball quarterfinal-round state playoff series at Leroy on Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, falling short in two games to end the season.

The Wildcats end the 2025 season with a 20-10 record.

“I’m extremely proud of our resilience. We fought and fought hard. I thought our team represented Florala and Covington County well with class and great character. We are going to miss our seniors who have won 59 games and three area championships over the past three seasons. Our coaching staff is excited to get back to work with the next group and continue this success. Go Wildcats,” Head Coach Tyler Zessin said.

Game 1: Florala 4, Leroy 6
Both teams took advantage of several walks and hit batters and combined for seven runs in the opening inning. Jacob Laura was hit by a pitch with one out in the top of the first, and walks to Dalton Jackson and Noah Bryan loaded the bases. Following a strikeout, Laura scored the first run on a passed ball. Ayden Brooks then drove home Jackson and Bryan with a two-run single and gave Florala a 3-0 lead.

John Foster took a bases-loaded walk in the bottom half and brought Keegan Giles to the plate. Gabriel Posey was hit by a pitch before Andrew Mauldin had a sacrifice fly and scored Colt Glen with the tying run. Timothy Parnell was hit by a pitch and scored Foster as Leroy took a 4-3 lead after one inning.

Easton Walsh reached on a two-out error in the second but was unable to advance after a groundout ended the inning. Sawyer Sullivan earned a one-out double in the home half, but Jackson struck out Glen and Foster and kept the score 4-3 after two innings.

Bryan singled in the visiting third before a strikeout and grounded closed the frame. Jason Byrd tripled with two outs in the home portion, but Greyson West threw a bullet to Dawson Reeves who applied the tag and ended the inning.

Gage Davis reached on a defensive miscue with one out in the top of the fifth, and West was hit by a pitch. Sullivan bent but did not break and held the Wildcats scoreless. Giles reached second on an error and stole home as the Bears took a 5-3 lead after five innings.

Sullivan then retired the side in order on eight pitches in the sixth. Mauldin hit an RBI single in the bottom half and sent Foster home for a 6-3 lead after six innings.

Bryan cashed in Walsh with a single for the final run in the seventh. Bryan finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Laura and Brooks each went 1-for-3. After Jackson threw 1/3 inning, Bryan allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Game 2: Florala 9, Leroy 5
Walsh needed seven pitches for a 1-2-3 top of the first. Two errors and a single from Bryan loaded the bases in the bottom half, but the game remained scoreless after one inning.

Glen led off the second with a single and scored the initial run on a defensive miscue. Posey had an RBI groundout as Posey scored and gave Leroy a 2-0 lead.

Reeves and Davis were each hit by a pitch in the bottom half. West advanced both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Walsh grounded out and cut the deficit in half when Reeves scored. Laura brought home Davis with an RBI single and drew Florala even at 2-2 after two innings.

The Bears answered back in the visiting third when Brady Keith came home on an RBI single by Glen. Bryan was hit by a pitch, and Rayshon Coleman walked in the home half. Brooks tied the score at 3-3 with an RBI single as Bryan scored. An error sent Coleman to the plate, and Walsh added a two-out RBI single to score Brooks and lift the Wildcats to a 5-3 lead after three innings.

Posey and Byrd each scored in the top of the fourth and brought Leroy even at 5-5. Jackson was hit by a pitch in the bottom half, and Bryan launched his first career home run as Florala took a 7-5 lead after four innings.

Both pitchers struck out two batters in a scoreless fifth.

The Bears loaded the bases in their half of the sixth on two hit batters and a walk with two outs. Walsh escaped the threat unharmed and maintained the lead. Coleman delivered a one-out single and stole second. Brooks then brought Coleman home with an RBI double and widened the margin to three. Reeves followed with a single as courtesy runner Elijah McMeans moved to third and scored on a double steal as the Wildcats took a 9-5 lead after six innings.

Leroy went quietly in the top of the seventh as Florala evened the series at a game apiece.

Laura was 3-for-3 with an RBI as Bryan and Brooks were each 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Walsh tossed all seven innings for the win and gave up five runs (three earned) on five hits with seven strikeouts.

Game 3: Florala 6, Leroy 11
After Florala went quietly in the opening frame, Leroy struck first with three runs in the bottom of the first. Giles reached on an error and scored the first run before consecutive two-out singles by Posey and Mauldin led to a 3-0 lead after one inning.

Coleman earned a leadoff walk in the top of the second, stole second, and scored on a passed ball as the Wildcats drew within two at 3-1. The Bears responded with another three-run inning and increased their lead to 6-1 after two innings.

Walsh opened the third with a single before Jackson was hit by a pitch, and Bryan loaded the bases with a single. Walsh scored on a passed ball and trimmed the deficit to 6-2 after three innings.

The Wildcats tied the game at 6-6 with five straight two-outs in the top of the fourth. West and Walsh each singled, while Laura and Jackson had back-to-back RBI singles and closed the gap to 6-4. Bryan delivered the equalizer with a double that sent Laura and Jackson both home.

The Bears rallied back and scored three times in their half. Glen and Foster were each hit by a pitch, and Posey walked to load the bases with nobody out. A balk sent Glen home, Foster scored on a passed ball, and Mauldin had a sacrifice fly for a 9-6 lead after four innings.

Florala had a 1-2-3 fifth as Giles started the bottom of the frame with a double and scored when Sullivan earned a sacrifice fly. Keith was hit by a pitch and crossed the plate on a defensive mistake for an 11-6 lead after five innings.

Neither side scored in the sixth inning. Jackson doubled in the top of the seventh and stole third, while Brooks walked with two outs before the game ended.

Jackson was 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI and threw one inning. Walsh and Bryan were both 2-for-4. Laura threw two innings, and Brooks closed with the final three innings.