Indian River Falls Just Short at State Tournament

CLEARWATER, FL — Indian River suffered a heartbreaking opening-day loss to Chipola College at the FSCAA DI Softball State Tournament on Wednesday, May 7. The River started strong, with Sarah Phipps launching a solo home run to left field in the first inning to give her team an early lead.

Indian River capitalized on a two-out dropped fly ball in the third inning, followed by a timely base hit, to take a 2-1 lead. That advantage held until late, despite the River threatening in the bottom of the sixth. However, a combination of missed opportunities and tough calls hindered the comeback effort.

Despite outhitting Chipola, the River dropped into the loser's bracket. Kassidy Pontbriant led the offensive charge with three hits. The team showed discipline at the plate, drawing four walks. J'dah Girigorie turned in a strong performance in the circle, pitching a complete game while allowing just four hits and two unearned runs, striking out five over seven innings.

In an elimination matchup on day two, Indian River faced Northwest Florida State on Thursday, May 8. The River struck early again, as Sarah Phipps stole home in the top of the first to put Indian River on the board. The Raiders answered quickly, regaining the lead in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of RBI singles to center and down the left field line.

Indian River tied the game in the third, but NWF responded in the middle innings to extend their lead. A two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth ultimately proved to be the difference, as the River fell 8-4 to conclude their tournament run.

Pontbriant and Thaima Maximiliana were a force in the heart of the lineup, each collecting two hits while batting back-to-back. Maximiliana, McKenzie Gibson, and Presley Smith all drove in runs throughout the contest. Phipps was a menace on the bases, swiping three bags and contributing to Indian River's six stolen bases in the game.

Four pitchers saw action for the River: Girigorie, sophomores Alexa Bethel and Hanna Deschambault, and freshman Abril Gomez.

Indian River went wire-to-wire ranked in the Top Five nationally and concluded the 2024-2025 season with an impressive 43-10 record. Despite the early exit at the state tournament, the team showcased resilience, depth, and talent throughout a highly successful campaign.

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