In last Wednesday's regional semifinal against Lake Region, Winter Haven was no-hit, but still, somehow, pulled out a win.
Tuesday, the Blue Devils had more hits than they even needed.
Winter Haven scored six runs in the 4th inning, blowing out Leesburg, 10-2, in the Class 6A regional finals, punching their ticket to Fort Myers and the state final four.
It's their first trip since 2006.
"We were no hit and won the last game, and we were expecting to get a few hits, but not quite that many and score that many runs," Winter Haven coach Pat Borders said. "It was refreshing and nice and relaxing for the kids not to have another stressful game."
Trailing 2-0, Brice Giles came up with one of the biggest hits of the season for Winter Haven in the 2nd inning. With a runner on and two outs, Giles line one to the outfield, the ball falling in front of the diving centerfielder. As it rolled to the wall, Giles raced around third, sliding home for an inside-the-park home run. That tied it at 2-2, but swung the momentum all in the Blue Devils' favor.
"When he came in there and did that," pitcher Trenton Gantt said, "everything from there on, everybody was up. It was a ball game."
It sure turned into one, for the Blue Devils, at least.
Winter Haven exploded for six runs two innings later, highlited by a Josh Olechnowicz two-run double. They ended the inning up 8-2, then added two more runs down the stretch.
Gantt closed the door in the 7th inning, retiring three of the four batters he faced. He stuck out eight in the complete-game win.
Gantt knows the momentum turned once Giles slid home with the four-bagger.
"When he did that, it was on," Gantt said. "I knew we had it."
The Blue Devils will play three-time state champion Venice next Wednesday at Jet Blue Park in Fort Myers, the winner advancing to the 6A championship game.