Alright, sports fans, get ready for a shake-up in Florida high school baseball! The FHSAA is throwing a curveball this year with a brand-new playoff format for the 2025 season. Get this: for the first time in a long time – since way back in ’09 – all the regional playoff rounds, from the very first game to the regional championship, are going best-of-three!

What’s the Big Deal?

Instead of those nail-biting, one-and-done games, teams will now battle it out in a series. This means the team that’s truly better over a few games will move on. It’s a chance for teams to really show what they’re made of, and it definitely puts a spotlight on who’s got the pitching depth and overall talent.

Where the Games Will Be Played:

Here’s the lowdown on who gets to play on their home turf:

• Generally, the higher-ranked team will host the first two games of the series.
• But hold on! If they need a third game to decide it, the lower-ranked team gets to host that one.
• Now, here’s a twist: if the lower-ranked team is a district champ and the higher-ranked team isn’t, then the district champ gets to host the first two games – gotta respect those district titles!

Double the Fun?

Coaches can even agree to play a doubleheader for those first two games if they want to get it done quicker.

District Champs Get Some Love:

In the very first round, the regional quarterfinals, if you won your district, you get to host, no matter what your overall ranking is compared to a team that didn’t win their district. Pretty cool, right?

So, get ready for some exciting regional baseball in 2025! This new best-of-three format is sure to add a whole new level of strategy and excitement to the playoffs. It’s going to be awesome to see how teams adjust and who comes out on top!