The Key West Conchs will square off against the Miami Stingarees at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Key West easily dispatched Sports Leadership & Management on Saturday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. The Conchs fell just short of Mater Academy Charter by a score of 11-9 on Wednesday.
Kasey Kasper
| 04/02/25 @ Mater Academy Charter | 1 |
| 03/27/25 @ Monsignor Pace | 2 |
| 03/21/25 vs John Carroll Catholic | 2 |
| 03/17/25 vs Lake Mary | 1 |
| 03/15/25 vs Lemon Bay | 0 |
| + 4 more games |
Key West got a good showing from Kasey Kasper, who pitched 3.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Kasper has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, Nelson Ong was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring three runs while going 1-for-3. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Kade Maltz was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Miami never let their opponents score on Thursday. They put the hurt on Somerset Academy South Homestead with a sharp 16-0 victory. The result was nothing new for the Stingarees, who have now won 11 games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Tyler Jenkins made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out nine over four innings pitched. Those nine strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, Noah Llovet was a standout: he went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and one double. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Wryan Jenkins, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 4-for-4.
Miami always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .833. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Key West has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 12-9 record this season. That patch can't be blamed on the team's hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Miami, their win bumped their record up to 15-4.
Key West took their victory against Miami in their previous meeting back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 11-1 score. Will the Conchs repeat their success, or do the Stingarees have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
