Pitching dominated the final regular-season series for the Key West High baseball team, as visiting Eutis was held scoreless by a trio of Conch hurlers during a 3-0 victory on Friday, April 26, while on Saturday, April 27, it was the Panthers who had a pair take to the mound during a 5-1 win to split the two-game set at Rex Weech Field.
Taking to the mound for four shutout innings in the series opener for the Conchs was Anthony Lariz, who threw 34 of his 54 pitches for strikes, sitting down four via the K as three reached with a hit and two walks. Hunter White, striking out one of the three batters he faced, Julian Brown, who allowed a hit with a strikeout, and Jacob Burnham, striking out two while giving up a hit to earn the save, all came in for one frame to keep the Panthers off the board for the game.
Key West would score in just one of its at-bats, with all three of the runs coming home on just one hit, an RBI single by Roman Garcia, as the Conchs drew four walks and also plated a run on a wild pitch to go in front by three, which they held the rest of the way. Steele Mientkiewicz contributed two hits to the win, while Jose Perdigon also singled.
The next night, Key West would only come away with two hits, an RBI single by Noah Burnham in the second and a base hit by Nelson Ong in the bottom of the first.
Even though Conchs starter Felix Ong struck out 10 while conceding a run on two hits and two walks across four frames of work, he was stuck with the no-decision as the final 15 Conchs were all retired in order, from the third through the seventh. With the game tied at 1 entering the sixth, the Panthers would get to Vinne Moline for three runs in the frames, as he finished with four strikeouts in two innings out of the bullpen.
The loss leaves Key West at 12-13 overall in the regular season, but still as the No. 2 seed in the District 16-4A Championship and a semifinal matchup against St. Brendan on Wednesday, May 1, on the Killian High campus at noon.
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