Back to the final: Sophia Kardatzke leads University Christian into softball final

University Christian's repeat dream is now one game away.

Senior pitcher Sophia Kardatzke struck out 15 batters and University Christian punished three errors, defeating John Carroll Catholic 4-1 in Tuesday's Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A softball semifinal.

UC (19-7) advances to the championship game at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Legends Way Ball Fields in Clermont, to meet Fort Myers Evangelical Christian or Academy at the Lakes.

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The reigning champions scored on a second-inning fielding error, tacked on two more in the third on consecutive RBI singles by Kardatzke and Kate Dell'Alba and comfortably overcame John Carroll (24-7).

The Rams scored their only run in the sixth on an RBI triple by Makayla Ortiz.

USC Upstate signee Kardatzke finished with a five-hitter in her penultimate high school game, and Elissa Murdock went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI for UC, which also stole six bases.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Back to the final: Sophia Kardatzke leads University Christian into softball final