Year after year, Key West’s baseball players are held to an almost impossible standard, but even with relentless pressure, they continue to deliver season after season. The team shoulders the heavy expectations with a grace no one should expect of a high school roster, and despite the pressure of a 20-year state title run, this year’s Fighting Conchs look like a crew who can bring home the coveted, record-breaking 12th state championship.
In a preseason series against Jupiter High School, Key West matched the 7A Indians’ velocity, speed and power. In game one, the 4A Conchs battled the Indians to a 0-0 tie until the sixth inning, when Key West rallied with a pair of outs. Kristian Masters and Nelson Ong singled to put two on with two outs. Kade Maltz had two strikes against him when he connected for a sturdy shot to left field, scoring three runs to break the deadlock of what had become a pitchers’ duel. The Conchs added a pair of runs in the seventh, and Jupiter got on the board with a sacrifice fly, but the patient performance of the Conchs was a beautiful thing for fans all over the Keys.
Starting on the mound was Coral Shores transfer Donovan Thiery, who earned his first win as a Conch with five strikeouts, no hits and no runs during his 2-2/3 innings of work. Maltz and Christian Koppal combined for the remaining innings. Offensively, the team amassed seven hits to the Indians’ two.
After their 5-1 win Feb. 2, the teams returned to action the next day. The Conchs piled on the hits, with Thiery leading the way with three. Auggy Davila went 2-3 with a single and a double and Roman Garcia had a pair of hits. Tyrone Cervantes, Darreld Tremino, Masters and Maltz each singled once for a total of 11 Conch hits.
Jupiter managed a half-dozen hits, but 11 walks and a hit batter gave them the advantage. Key West tested their bullpen, with five Conchs making an appearance. Davila, Cervantes, Cruz Holmes, Beau Bender and Bennett Logan all saw time on the mound in what would end in an 8-7 loss for Key West.
Preseason action concluded Feb. 7, and the Conchs’ record, now reset, will be tested against ABF Academy Homestead Feb. 13 and ABF Hialeah the following night. Marathon opens at Miami Country Day Feb. 9 and Coral Shores at TERRA Environmental that same evening.
