- May 23, 2026
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Sarai Castro stepped up to the plate at the top of the seventh inning. She entered the batter’s box and became comfortable in her stance, shifting her gaze to the pitcher.
The freshman outfielder knew the stakes, and she knew the task at hand. Her team stood three outs away from a season-ending defeat.
She decided to control her own fate.
“I'm not going to let this pitcher get the better of me. I'm not going to let the umpire make the call,” Castro said. “I'm going to come up here and I'm going to swing.”
So she did. Her swing led to a double, and another hit from senior Kaydence Evans drove Castro home to cut Niceville's lead to 2-1 in the FHSAA Class 5A state semifinals May 22 at Longwood's Boombah Soldiers Creek Park.
Not all rallies, though, end in victory. Some simply aren’t enough.
Braden River High softball couldn't manage another run and lost, 2-1, to Niceville (24-7) in the FHSAA Class 5A state semifinals May 22 at Longwood's Boombah Soldiers Creek Park. It signaled the end to a season full of firsts for the Pirates.
They won their first district title in seven years. Followed with a regional title, they reached the statewide stage for the first time since 2016.
One more run would’ve forced Niceville to bat, and potentially, could have given Braden River an opportunity to take the lead in extra innings.
“I wouldn't want to go into battle with another group of girls,” said coach Keith Jans. “They never give up, they believe in themselves and they're never out of the game, no matter what. They should be extremely proud of themselves."
Evans — the potential tying run — stood at first base with no outs in the top of the seventh thanks to her single. She advanced to second base on a groundout from sophomore Maddie Kasch.
Freshman catcher/infielder Eva Martinez had popped out before Kasch for the first out. That meant it was do-or-die time for Cady Jones.
But Jones stuck out and Pirates fell just short.
Braden River had won 18 of its previous 19 games entering the May 22 game. It had averaged 10 runs per game this season, regularly beating up its competition.
The team, though, was silenced offensively through the first six innings of the state semifinals at the hands of South Alabama commit Chloe Bailey. Pirate hitters combined for just one hit until the seventh inning while striking out out nine times along the way.
“Hands down, she was a great pitcher,” Jans said. “Probably one of the best pitchers we’ve faced. I tip my hat to her and that Niceville team. What a strong team it is.”
The Eagles broke through for both of their runs in the bottom of the second inning, and never scored again against Braden River pitcher Kaydence Evans.
Sydney Hann reached second base on an error to commence the second inning and three consecutive hits followed. Those sent Hann and Valerie Malley across the plate.
A double play stopped the bleeding. Still, the Pirates, down 2-0, had some work to do.
Braden River junior Leighton Paul reached first base on an error in the top of the third inning and subsequently stole second, but was stranded.
In the fourth, it was Castro who tried to breathe life into her team’s offense. She turned the shortstop’s error into a double and advanced to third base on an Evans groundout. Just like Paul, she didn’t make it home.
Castro's first season with Braden River ended with a team-high .509 batting average. She was the only one to record multiple hits in the season-ending defeat.
“She's a great ballplayer all around,” Jans said. “She's been playing ‘ball for a long time. She puts the work in, she practices, she works hard and she's a great kid.”
For Evans, the state semifinals proved to be the final outing of her high school career.
The State College of Florida commit hurled six innings with three strikeouts, one walk and one earned run. After Niceville’s second-inning rally, she steadied herself, retiring 12 consecutive batters.
Her effort down the stretch kept Braden River within striking distance. This season, she was the only senior on the team’s 14-player roster.
“Kaydence has taught us all perseverance and working through the hard times,” Castro said. “She comes in, pitches her butt off, and does everything she can for this team, so everybody wants to give 110% as well.”
The Pirates were in danger of being shut out for the first time all season. Even in their three previous losses, they had always found a way to score.
So they rallied one last time. It just wasn’t enough.
Last season, the squad finished 4-19. It didn’t have a shot at the state semifinals because it didn’t even qualify for the regional tournament.
Braden River relied on seven freshmen in 2026 — half of its entire roster — and went farther than it had in nearly a decade.
With two more runs, it might have become the first team in program history to play for a state championship.
“Coming to states was just the biggest blessing we could ever ask for,” Castro said. “Even if we didn't bring it home this time, we have years to come.”
