UMATILLA, FL – Umatilla High School pulled off a stunning 2-1 upset over The Villages in the FHSAA Class 3A District 6 Tournament Semifinal last night. Entering the game as underdogs, the Bulldogs played like champions, delivering one of their most complete performances of the season.

Things got off to a rocky start in the first inning when Umatilla pitcher Wyatt Strawbridge surrendered a solo home run to Marcello Cortale, giving The Villages an early 1-0 lead. For a while, it seemed The Villages was in full control. But the Bulldogs refused to back down.

In the fourth inning, Umatilla scratched across a run to tie the game at 1-1. From there, both teams locked in defensively, keeping the score deadlocked through the fifth.

Then came the pivotal moment in the top of the sixth. Tate Bagwell led off with a key hit, setting the stage for senior Gavin Touchton—who has been a heart and soul player for the Bulldogs. With everything on the line and tension high throughout the stadium, Touchton stepped into the box.

With a full count, he grounded to third base and sprinted toward first. A wild throw on the play allowed the ball to get past the first baseman, giving Bagwell enough time to round third and score the go-ahead run. The Umatilla dugout erupted.

Strawbridge, who had already settled in after the early home run, returned to the mound and closed out the final two innings with shutout pitching, sealing the dramatic 2-1 victory.

(Senior pitcher Wyatt Strawbridge smiles and is covered in Gatorade after the team showered him with the classic Gatorade Bath after his 2-1 win. This was one of Strawbridge’s best performances of the season on the mound.)

“I knew the boys had it in them,” said head coach Tanner Clark. “We’ve battled all year long, and Wyatt pitched one of the best games of his career tonight. I’m so proud of the guys. We have unfinished business, and we’ll be going for back-to-back district championships on Thursday night. You couldn’t ask for a better outcome. This was a total team effort—from the guys in the dugout to the guys on the field, everyone executed.”

Umatilla will now face North Marion in the District Final Thursday night at 6 p.m., with a shot at winning consecutive district championships for the first time in program history. Last year’s district title was the school’s first in 22 years, and Coach Clark has continued to breathe new life into the program.

(Gavin Touchton “right” celebrates after bringing in the game winning RBI. Touchton has been a huge part of Umatilla’s success this season and is a great story.)

For The Villages, the loss stings, but their season likely isn’t over. With a strong resume, they remain in good position for an at-large bid into the FHSAA Baseball Tournament. Coach Anderson has done a fantastic job with The Villages in his first season. The Buffalo continue to look strong year after year and that is a good thing moving forward.

For Umatilla, this was a must-win game. Ranked near the bottom of the top 32 that qualify for the postseason, the Bulldogs needed this victory to stay alive. Now, they’re almost certainly headed to the state playoffs—and a win Thursday would be the perfect way to cap off a remarkable late-season run.

The way this team has come together down the stretch is nothing short of inspiring. Every player has embraced their role and contributed to the Bulldogs’ success. Good luck to the Bulldogs on Thursday evening!