Bobcats repeat as region champs, win second straight state title

Hector Escobar took over when the championship game resumed and ended it the way Pasco-Hernando State College wanted, with a complete-game effort that sealed a 3-1 win over Lake-Sumter State College and delivered the Bobcats their second straight state title.

The repeat made the FCSAA Division II Region 8 crown more than another trophy for the case. PHSC beat the same opponent that stood in its way in the 2025 championship game, then handled the pressure again to finish back-to-back state titles and reinforce the Bobcats as one of Hernando County’s most visible athletic programs.

The final started with PHSC building a 2-0 lead in the third inning before inclement weather suspended play on May 2. When the teams returned the next day, Escobar shut down Lake-Sumter the rest of the way, and his performance later earned him tournament Most Valuable Player honors.

PHSC’s path to the title was not easy. The Bobcats had to survive an 11-inning semifinal against Palm Beach State College before Bradon Durfee delivered a walk-off single to send them into the championship game. Earlier in the tournament, PHSC opened with a 14-4 win over St. Johns River State College, a game shortened by the 10-run rule after Derek Westfall threw a five-inning complete game and the lineup produced multiple extra-base hits.

The run also brought recognition to the people guiding it. Athletic director and head coach Lyndon Coleman earned coach-of-the-year honors, while several Bobcats were named to the all-tournament team. PHSC president Eric Hall pointed to the student-athletes’ hard work, resilience and leadership, along with the coaching staff, as the foundation of the repeat title run.

For Brooksville and the surrounding Hernando County area, the championship carried weight beyond campus. PHSC is a familiar local institution, and a second straight state title gives the Bobcats another high-profile win that residents can point to as evidence of a program that keeps delivering on the biggest stage.