Going into the regional finals as the number one seed and holding their best record since 2018, the varsity girls softball team was ready to strike. The team successfully took down Mater Lakes Academy 12-0 in the quarterfinals May 10, and proceeded to continue their run by beating Jensen Beach 4-0 in the semis, May 16.
Despite Heritage putting up a fight and playing top-notch defense in the regional finals May 19, Key West’s offense had a lucky play in the eighth inning to take home the win.
Promptly at 7 p.m at American Heritage, the game began and kept spectators on the edge of their seats as both teams displayed phenomenal fielding to keep the other team from getting any runs. This back-and-forth action continued through all seven innings.
Heritage has displayed strong fielding all season, especially in the regional finals: the Patriots have only allowed tonight’s one run in their past three matches. The defense is backboned by sophomore pitcher Koda Travers, whose stats – which includes striking out ten batters against both Mater Lakes Academy and Jensen Beach, respectively – speak for themselves.
With such an important role, it’s important to keep cool on the mound. “I try to keep the mental part of the game small and not let the moment get too big,” Travers said.
The offense is led by many players, including senior Virginia Tech commit Emily Legette, who was recognized as the Miami Herald Softball Player of the Year. Other offensive leaders include seventh grader Mia West, freshman Bria Villano and senior Hailey Diaz.
“I think we’ve come a long way. We have really come together as a team, put our differences aside and acted as a team,” Travers said.
This team is young, made up of mostly underclassmen and junior high students, so they will continue to grow as a force to be reckoned with in the next few years.
