ORLANDO — In its first season of Class 5A softball, Taylor will enter the postseason as a district champion.
Kaylee Cowart had three hits, two RBIs and pitched five innings as the Wildcats knocked off rival Atlantic, 7-3, in Thursday's District 8-5A title game at Lake Highland Prep. Taylor (18-4) will host a first-round playoff game at 7 p.m. Wednesday, while Atlantic (15-5) hits the road.
"With us being such a small school, people don't really notice how good we are and the potential we have," said senior shortstop Allie Caroll, a Stetson signee. "Even though 1A has good teams too, it makes us feel like we're coming out and getting stuff done."
Taylor responded from an early deficit with a three-run third inning, doing its damage via small ball. The Wildcats loaded the bases and plated the tying run on a wild pitch. Alexis Anderson successfully put down a safety squeeze to bring home Carroll, and Averi Harcus tacked on a sacrifice fly.
"With as competitive as it is in 5A, I've found out that you've really got to think outside the box," Wildcats coach Chris Carroll said.
The bottom of Atlantic's order provided a lift offensively. Sophia Waigand drove in the opening run, and Ashlynn Altman went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Cowart said an accidental swing led to a pivotal insurance run in the fourth, a bloop single into right field.
"(The pitch) was at least a foot over my head," Cowart said. "I was like, 'Eh well, it worked.' It goes down as a line drive in the box score."
In the sixth inning, Carroll's second hit put it out of reach. A sharply hit single eluded the glove of Summer Cowen in left field, allowing two runs to score.
Taylor will make its ninth postseason appearance in the last decade, though it has advanced beyond the first round only once. Atlantic will be playoff-bound for the second year in a row, despite replacing five starters from 2017.
"To me, this season is an amazing success," Sharks coach Jeremy Ossler said. "Most people thought this was going be a complete rebuilding season and overlooked us. New girls, young girls, they've played really well as a team this year."