It’s been a hot start to spring for the Florida Keys’ three softball squads.
Marathon started their season off with a win over Immaculata-LaSalle on Feb. 17. The Lady Fins dispatched the Royal Lions in just five innings via mercy rule. Anastasia Boose went the distance in the circle, striking out nine batters, walking one and giving up five hits over five innings. The Fins racked up seven stolen bases and six hits with three – a triple and two singles – off the bat of junior Madelyn Thornton. Elianys Roque tripled and Sara and Shaina Robinson each singled in the 17-2 victory.
Four days later in Key West, Arianna Garcia’s three-run homer in the second inning broke things open as the Lady Conchs picked up steam and rolled over the Warriors of Westminster Christian, 7-2. Maicee Gage added a solo shot in the same inning to stretch the lead beyond the Warriors’ reach. Garcia added a second hit, a single, in the sixth inning. Lucy Katz had a pair of hits and Shylo Sanchez, Kaleya Cervantes and Kaleaya Dickerson added one apiece. Brianna Brenner struck out eight in seven innings, walking one and giving up eight hits in Key West’s first win of the season.
Later that afternoon, the teams squared off again, this time to a different result. The Warriors came out swinging, pulling ahead with a three-run lead after the first inning. Westminster kept the pressure on until the end, winning 10-5 over the Conchs.
Chloe Kongos and Cervantes had three hits each and Williams, Sanchez, Dickerson and Maicee Gage added one hit each. Lilee Gage had a solo homer in the sixth, but 11 Conch hits would not be enough to overcome a determined Warriors team. Ryleigh Harnish handled the pitching in game two, striking out five, walking five and surrendering a dozen hits over seven innings.
