Pines Charter’s return to softball state final four cut short in shutout loss
Pembroke Pines Charter’s softball team was ahead of schedule in the eyes of many.
With no seniors in its lineup, and seven underclassmen starters, including a sixth-grader and seventh-grader, the Jaguars still managed to win a regional championship and advance to the state final four for the first time since 2018.
But on Friday afternoon, Pines Charter ran into one of the more experienced teams in the state and got a taste of how far they still need to go to return to their program’s glory days.
Despite two hits each from sophomore Sophia Rodriguez and freshman Aleena Fonseca, the Jaguars couldn’t slow down Winter Springs from putting together a 4-0 shutout in a Class 5A state semifinal at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park.
“The experience (on their side) showed,” Pines Charter coach Gaddy Nunez said. “They’re older, and our youth showed up a bit, but we kept fighting.”
Winter Springs (23-6), which will play Niceville on Saturday as it chases back-to-back state titles in a rematch of last year’s 5A final, struck early against Pines Charter’s ace Destiney Ortega.
Senior Miranda Rinne belted an Ortega pitch over the left field fence in the second inning for a two-run home run to open the scoring.
Ortega, one of only two juniors in the Jaguars’ starting lineup, limited the damage. But the Bears extended their lead in the fourth when Tiffany Seemann doubled to left to drive in Rinne after she walked, and Addison Pierce executed a perfect bunt to drive in Seemann.
“Destiney pitched well overall. That’s a very good team over there and they just outplayed us,” Nunez said. “We’re young and they manufactured a couple of runs and have disciplined batters. It was just a matter of breaking through offensively and we didn’t hit. But we had a great year and I’m sure this experience will keep them hungry to do this again.”
Pines Charter mustered four hits, but couldn’t string them together enough to mount any real challenge to Seeman, who struck out three and walked one over seven innings.
“It just takes a lot playing against girls that are graduating next year, almost half their team,” Ortega said. “We’re making it work with 12. I count on these girls with all my heart.”
Pines Charter (21-9) returns 11 of those players next season, which gave Ortega and her teammates confidence it will have a strong chance of returning and perhaps improving upon this past season’s success.
“I’m really proud of this team for overcoming a lot to get to this point. We actually started rough at the beginning of this season. It took a lot of hours at practice, including four-hour days,” Ortega said. “We kept a good attitude most of the game even when we were behind. I know next year we’re going to come back even better.”
