Vero Beach braved the high season traffic and torrential downpours to play the southernmost softball team on March 23 in the only game to take place during Monroe County’s spring break.
The visiting Indians took the lead in inning three and held on until the seventh when the Lady Conchs tied it up, sending the game into extra innings. Key West had a chance to win it in inning 8 when Tavyn Gage singled, then advanced on a passed ball, but the Indian defense locked down the rest of the lineup, leaving Gage stranded on second.
In the ninth inning, Brianna Brenner fanned three in a row to end any chance for a Vero Beach rally. Alexandra Rodriguez then singled to get things going for the Conchs. Vera Rodger made contact next, sending a line drive deep into right field and sending Rodriguez clear to third. Alexa Condella then singled to center field, bringing Rodriguez home with the walk-off to end the game.
Rodriguez went 4-for-5 on the afternoon, while Gage and Scarlet Niles each hit a single and a double. Rodger, Condella, Shylo Sanchez and Monica Bueno accounted for the rest of Key West’s dozen hits. Brenner and Nevaeh Arnold paired up to strike out 12 Vero Beach batters. The 4-5 Conchs will have to wait a week to even up their record; no games are scheduled for any Keys teams due to Miami-Dade and Broward counties being on spring break this week.
