Last year, the Gainesville High School softball team advanced to its first state championship game since 2016.
One of the reasons for their success was the pitching of then-freshman Leanna Bourdage, who had a big year with a 0.57 earned run average and 251 strikeouts.
Bourdage had some big games in the postseason for the Class 5A state runners-up, including a no-hitter with 18 strikeouts in last year’s district championship game against Middleburg, and 12 strikeouts and only three singles allowed in a 3-0 win at Gulf Breeze in the FHSAA Class 5A-Region 1 Final.
Last May, she had 14 strikeouts in the FHSAA Class 5A state semifinals in a 5-2 win against Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches) at Legends Way Ball Fields in Clermont.
Although GHS lost a heartbreaker in extra innings to defending state champion Parrish Community in the 5A state championship game, the future was bright for the Hurricanes, who returned Bourdage, Alabama State signee Braylin Cook, and Santa Fe College signee McKenna O’Sullivan, among the eight returning starters.
However, Bourdage has been hurt this season and played sparingly, but not in the circle.
She has appeared in 11 games and is batting .368 after hitting .386 last year for the 24-5 Hurricanes.
On Friday, April 18, she toed the rubber for the first time in 2025 and tossed two innings against Newberry, a 7-1 win. She struck out all six batters that she faced, and she was also 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs batted in.
Last Wednesday, in the home finale against Vanguard (Ocala), an 11-8 victory, Bourdage threw 4.1 innings and allowed three runs on two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. She also had a hit and drove in a run.
That’s 13 strikeouts and only two walks in 6.1 innings with a 2.21 earned run average (ERA).
She’s back pitching and just in time with the FHSAA Class 5A-District 5 Tournament beginning on Tuesday.
“It is great to have Leanna back in the circle,” said GHS softball coach Chris Chronister. “In addition to her high-caliber pitching presence, she provides a high level of energy to the team.”
GHS (13-7) is the No. 2 seed in the district and will host No. 3 seed Belleview at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the district semifinals. The winner will play on Thursday against the top seed and Class 5A No. 5 Deltona for the district championship game.
Last year, GHS eased past Deltona at home in the regional quarterfinals, but this time they would have to travel to the Wolves (14-3).
Earlier this season, the ‘Canes struggled without Bourdage. They lost their first four games and started the season 0-4.
“Early in the season, it took us some time to figure out everyone’s role on the team and what we needed to do to be successful, but once everyone settled into those roles, we were able to be successful,” Chronister said. “We have been playing with a lot of confidence, and that level of confidence got another boost with Leanna’s return.”
O’Sullivan has helped carry the team to this point.
In 93 innings pitched, she is 10-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 19 appearances.
“McKenna has really provided the team the opportunity to thrive,” Chronister said. “She works extremely hard at making herself better in all aspects of the game, but this year she really dedicated a lot of time working on her pitching. It is a pleasure to have self-motivated players like her on the team.”
She’s also been very good at the plate, leading the ‘Canes in hitting (.476), hits (30), doubles (11), RBI (23) and slugging percentage (.841).
Cook is hoping to catch fire in the postseason again.
She hit four home runs in last year’s district tournament, including three against Columbia (Lake City) in the district semifinals, and she added another bomb in the first-round playoff win against Deltona.
The senior is third behind O’Sullivan and Hawthorne transfer Madisyn Gillins (.474) with a .370 average and she leads the team with five home runs. She’s also second with a .558 on-base percentage and 18 RBI.
GHS, which is currently seeded third in 5A-Region 2 behind Winter Springs and Deltona, has won 11 of its last 13 games heading into district tournament play.
FHSAA Softball district tournaments (April 28, 29 & May 1)
(Teams in the Mainstreet coverage area in bold)
Dates & times are subject to change
Class Rural-District 6 at Branford
Quarterfinals – Monday, April 28
4 Bell vs. 5 Dixie County (Cross City), 7 p.m.
Semifinals – Tuesday, April 29
Bell/Dixie County winner at 1 Fort White, 5 p.m.
3 Union County (Lake Butler) at 2 Branford, 7 p.m.
Championship – Thursday, May 1
TBD, 7 p.m.
Class Rural-District 7 at Williston
Quarterfinals – Monday, April 28
3 Bronson vs. 6 Wildwood, 5 p.m.
4 Chiefland vs. 5 Hawthorne, 7 p.m.
Semifinals – Tuesday, April 29
Chiefland/Hawthorne winner vs. 1 Trenton, 5 p.m.
Bronson/Wildwood winner at 2 Williston, 7 p.m.
Championship – Thursday, May 1
TBD, 7 p.m.
Class 1A-District 4 at Peniel Baptist Academy Palatka)
Semifinals – Monday, April 28
4 St. Francis Catholic Academy at 1 Peniel Baptist Academy (Palatka)
3 Countryside Christian vs. 2 St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine)
Championship – Wednesday, April 30
TBD, 6 p.m.
Class 2A-District 3 at Higher Seeds
Semifinals – Monday, April 28
4 Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville) at 1 Baldwin, 7 p.m.
3 Bradford (Starke) at 2 Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville), 7 p.m.
Championship – Thursday, May 1
TBD, 7 p.m.
Class 2A-District 5 at Keystone Heights
Semifinals – Tuesday, April 29
1 Newberry vs. 4 Interlachen, 5 p.m.
3 P.K. Yonge at 2 Keystone Heights, 7 p.m.
Championship, May 1
TBD, 7 p.m.
Class 3A-District 2 at Higher Seed
Semifinals – Tuesday, April 29
3 Gadsden County (Havana) at 2 Suwannee (Live Oak), 6 p.m.
Championship – Thursday, May 1
Suwannee/Gadsden County winner at 1 Wakulla (Crawfordville), 6 p.m.
Class 3A-District 5 at Higher Seeds
Semifinals – Tuesday, April 29
4 Eastside at 1 Santa Fe (Alachua), 7 p.m.
3 North Marion (Citra) at 2 Palatka, 7 p.m.
Championship – Thursday, May 1
TBD, 7 p.m.
Class 4A-District 3 at Baker County (Glen St. Mary)
Semifinals – Tuesday, April 29
3 Riverside (Jacksonville) at 2 Columbia (Lake City), 5 p.m.
4 Ed White (Jacksonville) at 1 Baker County (Glen St. Mary), 7 p.m.
Championship – Thursday, May 1
TBD, 7 p.m.
Class 5A-District 5 at Higher Seeds
Semifinals – Tuesday, April 29
3 Belleview at 2 Gainesville, 7 p.m.
Championship – Thursday, May 1
Belleview/GHS winner at 1 Deltona, 7 p.m.
Class 6A-District 3 at Higher Seeds
Semifinals – Tuesday, April 29
4 Buchholz at 1 Bartram Trail (St. Johns), 6:30 p.m.
3 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) at 2 Oakleaf (Orange Park), 6:30 p.m.
Championship – Thursday, May 1
TBD, 6:30 p.m.