Here are the highlights from Home of Champions tournament as Bartow finishes runner-up
Nine-time state softball champion Bartow in a 22-19 game? When other coaches and fans heard the score, they were incredulous and needed the score repeated. But yes, that indeed was the score of Bartow’s victory over Sumner in its first game on Friday, yet the Yellow Jackets went on to advance to the championship game.
Despite the early three-run lead, however, a crucial bases-loaded error with two outs allowed Bradenton Inspiration to take the lead and the Lions went on to beat defending champion Bartow, 6-3, to win the 2025 Bartow Home of Champions Softball Tournament.
“We played a 22-19 game so that should tell you where we’re at,” Bartow coach Glenn Rutenbar. “Where we are, that’s what we deserve.”
In Bartow’s 22-19 win over Sumner, Bartow trailed 11-4 with both his starting pitchers struggling and not getting help defensively. The Yellow Jackets committed six errors.
Rutenbar then put in his J.V. pitchers to finish the game. Bartow rallied with three runs in the fifth and 11 runs in the sixth to take an 18-11 lead then game up eight runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Yellow Jackets answered with four runs in the top of the seventh and held on.
“That was the strangest game I’ve ever seen in my life,” Rutenbar said.
There were some wild defensive moments — one in Bartow’s 12-2 win over Plant City that allowed runs to score but Rutenbar described as something he hadn’t seen in his 37 years of coaching.
The costly error came in the championship game. Starting pitcher Ryleigh Knowlton was struggling with the umpire’s strike zone as neither pitcher was getting the calls on borderline low pitches. She walked the bases loaded with one out but nearly got out of the inning. However, with two outs, a fly ball to left was dropped allowing three runs to score and the batter to reach third. Knowlton allowed an RBI double before getting out of the inning.
“That’s where we’re at,” Rutenbar said. “Routine balls, you just don’t know, and then other time there’s a great, great catch. Go figure.”
Rutenbar acknowledged there were positives from the tournament, starting with reaching the title game. Brooklyn Tyson turned in back-to-back pitching gems — more on that below — and for the first three games, the Yelow Jackets hit the ball well.
“Our talent is fine,’” Rutenbar said. “It’s all the inconsistent stuff and then not knowing what you’re doing.”
Rutenbar said he needs to do a better job reinforcing what players should do in certain situations to help cut down on mental mistakes.
While Bartow finished runner-up, Lake Region finished in third place after losing 1-0 to Inspiration in the semifinals then beating Plant City in the third-place game.
Here are highlights from players and teams from Polk County in the two-day tournament.
Best Pitcher
Lake Region senior Makenna Meadows turned in the best pitching performance by a Polk County pitcher in the tournament, although it came in a loss. She hurled a two-hitter and allowed just one unearned run with 11 strikeouts and no walks in the Thunder’s 1-0 loss to Inspiration in the semifinals.
Meadows also tossed a two-hitter with 12 strikeouts and one walk in Lake Region’s 5-3 win over Evangelical Christian. All three runs were unearned.
Best Overall Player
Well, it’s Meadows again. Meadows had a big bat to go along with her pitching as she hit .500 with a pair of doubles and seven RBIs. As for her overall pitching totals, she went 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA with 23 strikeouts and one walk in 13 innings and allowed just four hits.
Best Bounce Back
Bartow sophomore pitcher Brooklyn Tyson pitched one inning and allowed five runs, just one earned, on four hits with one walk in the 22-19 debacle on Friday.
Tyson then came back and pitched the second game on Friday that started at 10 p.m. and ended around 11:30, and she threw a one-hit shutout with seven strikeouts. She then pitched the semifinal game on Saturday morning that started at 10 a.m. and threw a two-hitter against Plant City. She allowed just two unearned runs with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Most Heartbreaking Loss
Lake Wales trailed defending Class 2A state champion Fort Myers Evangelical Christian 5-2, on Saturday morning and rallied for one run in the sixth inning and three in the top of the seventh to take a 6-5 lead.
The Highlanders, however, could not hold the lead as Lake Wales made a pair of errors in the bottom of the seventh.
Twice is Nice in Digging the Long Ball
Auburndale hit two grand slams in one game, Lake Wales hit two home runs in one inning and Lake Region’s Kristin Aldridge hit two home runs in one game.
Against Fort Meade on Friday, Rylee Bass’ grand slam in the third put Auburndale up 4-3, and Brylyn Miller’s grand slam in the top of the sixth put the Bloodhounds up 12-8 as they rallied from an 8-4 deficit with eight runs in the inning. Auburndale went on to win 12-10.
Lake Wales’ Kiera Morris and Mattie Cockrell homered in the first inning to give the Highlanders an early 2-0 lead against McKeel. Lake Wales won 6-2.
In Lake Region’s 16-0 win over Winter Haven, Kirsten Aldridge homered in the first inning and in the fourth inning and finished with six RBIs.
Top Hitters
Margaret “Chic” Jenkins, Lake Region: Batted .727 (8 for 11) with a double and seven runs scored.
Shay Parker, Bartow: Batted .575 (4 for 7) with a double and five RBIs.
Rylee Bass, Auburndale: Batted .555 (5 for 9) with a double, home run and six RBIs.
Makenna Meadows, Lake Region: Batted .500 (7 for 14) with three doubles and seven RBIs.
Gabriella Gonzalez, Auburndale: Batted .467 (7 for 15) with six RBIs.
Makayla Deleon, Fort Meade: Batted .467 (7 for 15) with four RBIs.
Emma Skipper, McKeel: Batted .428 (6 for 14) with two RBIs.
Kirsten Aldridge, Lake Region: Batted .417 (5 for 12) with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs.
Jamie Sepsick, Lake Wales: Batted .417 (5 for 12) with a double and three RBIs.
Lexi Hayford, Bartow: Batted .400 (6 for 15) with four RBIs.
Zoelis Rosa, Lake Region: Batted .400 (4 for 10) with three RBIs.
Ryleigh Grace, Fort Meade: Batted .400 (4 for 10) with four RBIs.
Keira Davis, Lake Wales: Batted .385 (5 for 13) with one home run and three RBIs.
Ariel Ramirez, Fort Meade: Batted .385 (5 for 13) with four RBIs.
Brianna Shelley, McKeel: Batted .385 (5 for 13) with two RBIs.
Caitlyn Johnson, Fort Meade: Batted .375 (6 for 16) with 2 doubles and seven RBIs.
Niamah Johnson, Bartow: Batted .375 (6 for 16) with two doubles and four RBIs.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Here are the highlights from Bartow's softball tournament
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