The chants rang out as Baldwin softball players poured from the dugout in jubilation after the 21st and final out of their evening on the eastern side of the St. Johns River.
"Five-peat! Five-peat!"
Is that a word? It is now.
Unlike the first four in the series, Baldwin's fifth consecutive Gateway Conference high school softball championship came without fireworks — this time, their final took them on the road, after all — but the celebrations carried on just as vigorously following Thursday night's 9-2 victory at Atlantic Coast.
The five-peat relied on four RBI from Jazmine Ramos-Merced off a pair of home runs, while sophomore pitcher Hayden Peebles added a home run of her own while throwing a four-hitter.
For five years (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025), they've been on top of Duval County public schools, unbeaten in this tournament since 2019. This time, for head coach Jennifer Shields, the journey to the top is particularly sweet.
![Baldwin players and coaches celebrate their 9-2 victory over Atlantic Coast for their fifth consecutive Gateway Conference high school softball championship on April 10, 2025. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]](https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/ebed699dc99fcbe2e688579ba10e0bff)
"Our juniors and our seniors, all they know is winning," she said. "And they came tonight, ready to play."
Baldwin drew all the motivation needed from the 15-11 upset loss to Atlantic Coast on March 3, the first time they'd lost to a Duval County public school since March 23, 2021.
It turns out they're not yet ready to give up their Gateway crown. After losing numerous starters from last year's final-four roster to graduation, transfer and injury, Baldwin (14-4) is building winning momentum once more as the Florida High School Athletic Association postseason nears.
"Since the beginning, we knew we weren't going to be as strong as we were the past few years," Ramos-Merced said. "So we knew it was going to take work."
RAMOS-MERCED RENEWS POWER SURGE
![Baldwin's Jazmine Ramos-Merced rounds the bases for the first of her two home runs against Atlantic Coast in the Gateway Conference high school softball final on April 10, 2025. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]](https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-florida-times-union/30c0c6e48e8111909db2e15630084a0a)
Bat met ball for Ramos-Merced in the third inning, and she had no doubt about it.
Seconds later, the junior was crossing the plate amid a gathering of celebrating visitors in boldly-lettered Tribe jerseys with a 2-0 lead. After three more innings, Ramos-Merced followed up with a three-run blast, also to left field, to banish all Stingray comeback possibilities.
Baldwin was already in front on Olivia Hartung's RBI single in the second, but the homers from their most seasoned slugger put the icing on the cake.
"The biggest thing for us was we knew they came out and they beat us last time," Ramos-Merced said. "So we had a bigger goal tonight."
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