High school softball: Park Vista puts Jupiter's regional run in park with regional victory
LAKE WORTH — Park Vista softball has maintained its win streak through the playoffs, forcing defeat on now eight opponents straight — the most recent a Class 7A regional quarterfinal victory over Jupiter.
However, Thursday's 7-1 final score didn't tell the frame-by-frame story that sees the postseason powerhouse survive and advance to face Orlando program Lake Nona (14-11) Tuesday.
“Every time we play Jupiter, it's a tough battle and they’re certainly a formidable opponent every time we play them — and that's going back many years,” Cobras head coach Joe DellaRocca said.
“I've known Steve [Ahern] and his program for a long time so we're always going to respect Jupiter and know that we'll have a challenge on our hands.”
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Here are three takeaways:
Mergen moves the scoreboard
An out-of-the-park homer from Nicole Mergen announced Vista's arrival to regional play.
Mergen recalled her trip around the bases as setting “that tone of excitement” and signaled to herself and the Cobras, “we're winning this game.”
The sophomore's momentum was well-timed, as Vista came in knowing that the Warriors would battle.
Jupiter let the Cobras add a road win to their collection of regular-season dubs, yet the three-run margin of victory was one of Vista's closest to date.
“Coming in, we were told we were dominating this game. We're not only beating them 3-0. We want to beat them and let them know that you came here, like we're beating you,” Mergen said.
Mergen's offensive stat line against Jupiter read two runs on three hits and no strikeouts.
Fariello's fun night in the circle
Jupiter's lone run was put up in the top of the seventh by Sophia White, who batted in Samantha White with an RBI single and put runners on first and third before the Warriors' chances of a comeback were thwarted by Mergen.
“Even in this last inning, they were threatening, so until it's over, I'm not going to count out Jupiter,” DellaRocca said.
Fortunately for DellaRocca and the Cobras, Vista’s well-rounded threat, junior Chloe Fariello, proved bigger.
The “epitome of calm,” according to DellaRocca, Fariello nearly pitched a complete game, giving up just two hits and one walk, striking out seven Warriors.
“She’s a really confident kid, so we're confident in her,” DellaRocca said. “I think she deserves a lot of credit for what we're doing.”
In 98 innings this season, Fariello maintains an ERA of 0.64, allowing 29 runs and striking out 70 to notch 16 wins. She also serves as the Cobras' best bat, hitting .468.
Saying 'No' to Lake Nona
Having not faced Lake Nona this season, DellaRocca doesn't know what to expect out of the Lions.
“We’re confident in what we do and we'll continue to stick to our game plan,” DellaRocca said. “We feel pretty confident in that when the girls execute it, and they've been doing that down the stretch, so hopefully, we'll continue that.”
Based off the stat sheet, it seems as though the Cobras need to prepare for the combo-efforts of Lake Nona sisters Kiley and Kennedy McQuillan, both of whom top nearly all categories for the Lions, from on-base-percentage to ERA.
Emilee Smarr can be reached at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: High school softball: Park Vista puts Jupiter's regional run in park
