Niceville, Paxton ready for regional finals

By ADAM PRUIETT

adamp@nwfdailynews.com

With its deep and tremendous pitching staff, the Niceville baseball team is ideally built for a Class 5A regional final that is now a best-of-three series.

But while Eagles coach Kevin Berry would acknowledge the merits of his invaluable hurlers in such a series, he believes the mental makeup of his second-ranked squad (20-10) when it welcomes Gainesville (18-12) at 4 p.m. today in doubleheader action will be just as critical.

"Are you ready to pack it up and go to the beach or are you willing to continue to fight for what you've worked so hard to accomplish?" said Berry, whose team is gunning for its first Final Four since 1989. "Are you satisfied? When you're not satisfied, that's when you accomplish your goals and dreams."

In Class 1A, Paxton will be seeking revenge against top-ranked and defending state champion Jacksonville Eagle's View, a squad that has knocked the Bobcats out of the last two postseasons. The teams will start their doubleheader at 3 p.m. today at Eagle's View.

Paxton coach Jeff Bradley said Eagle's View is "1A on paper, but they've got 6A talent." Facing a team that is dotted with Division I prospects, the Bobcats know they've got their hands full but, as Bradley said, "We're coming down here ready for a challenge."

"I'm a much bigger fan of David than Goliath," he quipped.

Bradley will start junior righthander Colby Forehand in Game 1 and sophomore righthander Dan Geoghagan in Game 2. With a pitching staff that isn't nearly as deep as Eagle's View, Paxton is hoping for a stunning sweep.

"You get tired of just being here," Bradley said. "We want to win the sucker."

As usual, Niceville's remarkable pitching staff will be expected to set the tone against Gainesville. Brett DeVall, a senior lefthander and Georgia signee who has already won three postseason contests, will get the start in Game 1 for Niceville.

Berry said how the first game goes will dictate who he sends to the mound in Game 2. Senior righthander Austin Wood, who's signed with Florida State, and senior southpaw Josh McDorman, headed to Pensacola Junior College, have both tossed shutouts this postseason.

Gainesville is expected to counter today with pitchers Alex Mersch (5-5) and Kevin McCoy (3-3). Two players that Niceville's pitchers must pay keen attention to are Hurricanes catcher Jack Miller (.402 average, nine homers, 45 RBIs through regional quarterfinals) and second baseman Levon Washington (.343, four homers, 28 steals), who has committed to Florida.

 "We've had some days to rest and regroup," Berry said, referring to the team's emotional 3-2 victory in the regional semifinals over rival Pace, a team the Eagles also defeated for the district title. "The kids are ready to play and tired of practicing, and I hope they want it more than (the Hurricanes) do."

If Niceville and Gainesville split today, Game 3 will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday at Niceville, while a split between Paxton and Eagle's View would mean another contest at noon Saturday at Eagle's View.