Winter Springs softball, playing for late teammate, wins state semifinal
On the surface, it appears simple to understand the Winter Springs softball team’s successful season.
The defending Class 5A state champions had a goal to repeat, and took another step closer with a 4-0 state semifinal win against Pembroke Pines Charter on Friday. The Bears advanced to Saturday’s championship game, which will be played close to the Winter Springs campus at 1 p.m. at Boombah Soldiers Creek Park.
The opponent is Niceville, the team Winter Springs defeated in last year’s title game, 4-3.
What many don’t know, however, is that the drive and determination of the Winter Springs girls goes far deeper than just wanting a another trophy. They’re driven by the death of one of their teammates. Kennedy Jackson, who started at first base last year as a freshman, died in October, a tragedy that was never officially ruled as accidental or suicide.
The team was devastated.
“We don’t know how it happened. But we do know it was a tragedy,” said Winter Springs coach Farrah Gordon, who watched Friday’s victory from behind the left-field fence due to an illness. Assistant coach Eric Birle managed the on-field duties Friday and Gordon hopes to be back in the dugout Saturday.
“It was a tragedy for our group but it allowed us to come together. It’s been one of those things that throughout the playoffs, I can’t stop thinking about that kid and how she should be out there,” Gordon said. “She’s definitely someone we miss, for sure. She was first-team all-conference last year. She was a stud.”
Winter Springs junior pitcher Tiffany Seeman was brought to tears when she was asked about Jackson after the Bears’ Friday victory. Seeman had just completed her sixth straight shutout win, but the mention of her former teammate made her emotional.
“It kind of like brought us closer together and made us have more of a purpose,” Seeman said of Jackson.
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Birle said the plan is to have Jackson’s No. 22 jersey on hand Saturday so the Bears will be able to feel her presence in the dugout.
“It was extremely tough. We’ve had to do a lot more managing than coaching this year, managing emotions and keeping them together,” Birle said. “In a way, it kind of brought them together and gave them something else to play for. But at the same time, especially at the beginning for the season, there was the dealing with emotions. The girls kept wanting to share their feelings of loss, which kept bringing those memories back, which made it difficult to play at times this season.
“She’s still in our hearts and we say her number at the end of every cheer we do. It’s been a big part of who we are this year. It’s still very hurtful.”
Seeman was doing her usual thing on Friday, coaxing batters to hit ground balls and pop-ups. Seeman and the Bears have outscored playoff opponents 65-0.
Seeman doesn’t overpower hitters. She’s consistent with her pitch placement and keeps hitters off balance. She had two strikeouts Friday and induced Pembroke Pines Charter hitters into seven ground balls in the first five innings.
“She throws a lot of first-pitch strikes, puts the ball in the zone and lets her amazing defense work behind her,” Birle said. “She gets a strikeout when she needs it, but she feeds her defense really well and she doesn’t get herself behind in the hitting count.”
Seeman helped herself at the plate Friday, with a single and a double. Her courtesy runner Kamylah Fermin came around to score twice.
The big hit for Winter Springs came in the second inning. Senior shortstop Miranda Rinne led off by blasting a solo home run to get the Bears going. Seeman followed with the single and Madison Barahona added a RBI single.
“That was a nice ice-breaker,” Birle said of the Rinne homer. “It loosened everybody up and we were just able to play ball. They were a little bit tense in the beginning because I think they do have a little bit of pressure on them right now to repeat.”
In the fourth inning, Seeman doubled to score Rinne, stretching the play to third base on the throw from the outfield. Adison Pierce pushed the final run across with a single.
The Bears (23-6), ranked second in 5A behind Niceville (24-7), have managed their goals successfully with just one more game to claim the repeat crown.
“This year was much harder than last year. Last year, we didn’t really expect to make it that far,” Seeman said. “And this year it’s kind of like we have the expectations to win. It’s been much harder, but we did it.”
Asked how she feels heading into Saturday, Seeman said, “Confident.”
FHSAA state championships
(At Boombah Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood)
CLASS 7A
Tuesday Semifinals
Hagerty 7, Jupiter 0
Western 4, East Ridge 0
Wednesday Championship
Hagerty 2, Western 0
CLASS 6A
Friday Semifinals
No. 1 Pace (25-4) vs. No. 4 Parrish Community (18-5-1), 1 p.m.
No. 2 Doral Academy (26-2) vs. No. 3 Bartow (27-3), 2:30 p.m.
Saturday Championship, 4 p.m.
CLASS 5A
Friday Semifinals
Niceville 2, Braden River 1
Winter Springs 4, Pembroke Pines Charter 0
Saturday Championship
No. 2 Winter Springs (23-6) vs. No. 1 Niceville (23-7), 1 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Thursday Semifinals
Columbia 6, Seminole 5
Lake Wales 6, Key West 5
Saturday Championship
No. 2 Lake Wales (24-6) vs. No. 1 Columbia (27-3), 10 a.m.
CLASS 3A
Thursday Semifinals
Coral Springs Charter 14, McKeel Academy 0
Eustis 14, Wakulla 7
Friday’s Championship
No. 1 Coral Springs Charter (22-4) vs. No. 3 Eustis (22-6), 4 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Wednesday Semifinals
Oxbridge Academy 5, Calvary Christian 1
Cornerstone Charter 3, North Bay Haven Academy 1
Thursday Championship
Oxbridge 5, No. 3 Cornerstone 1
CLASS 1A
Tuesday Semifinals
University Christian 12, Schoolhouse Prep 2
Geneva 16, Evangelical Christian 15
Wednesday Championship
University Christian 4, No. 2 Geneva School 1
RURAL CLASS
Tuesday Semifinals
Trenton 1, Madison County 0
Liberty County 10, Northview 8
Wednesday Championship
Trenton 13, Liberty County 1
Chris Hays can be found on X.com@OS_ChrisHays.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 3:46 PM.