OKEECHOBEE– The Okeechobee High School varsity Lady Brahman softball team held off a late rally by Vero Beach on March 1 to secure the 6-4 win.
Vero jumped out to a one-run lead in the top …
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Vero jumped out to a one-run lead in the top of the second with Okeechobee committing a couple of errors, resulting in a base runner advancing to home. But OHS pitcher Laci Prescott limited the damage to that one run.
In the bottom of the second the Lady Brahmans loaded the bases, and with two outs Lexi Thomas drew a walk to tie the game at 1-1-.
Okeechobee’s defense dominated in the next few innings. Catcher Faith Vest picked off a Vero base runner with a impressive throw to Lauren Sills at second base, while Elle Thomas scooped up a grounder and ran down a Vero base running attempting to round third.
Right fielder Abby Whitlock made a great catch deep in the outfield to get Okeechobee out of an inning. Whitlock also nearly had a highlight reel diving catch of a foul ball earlier in the same inning, with the ball just bouncing out of her glove as she hit the ground.
With the bases loaded Whitlock drew a walk to put Okeechobee up 2-1. Morgan Hancock followed that up with a bases loaded double that drove in two runs. Finally Lauren Sills laid down a perfect bunt to advance another Lady Brahman home and put Okeechobee up 5-1 midway through the game.
In the top of the fifth inning, Vero Beach started to look like they might rally to tie the game or even retake the lead. Two back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning brought the score to 5-2. Then, with a runner on third, a high fly ball that fell in the gap in shallow left field let Vero inch closer with a 5-3 score.
Prescott was able to get out of the inning after a lengthy battle with the Vero batters. Prescott pitched for all seven innings for Okeechobee, striking out five.
The Lady Brahmans added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-3. And although Vero was able to bring in another run on a deep fly ball that was dropped by Okeechobee in the top of the seventh, Prescott and the Lady Brahman defense managed to shut the door on the rally attempt and send Vero Beach back to the coast with a loss.
Okeechobee is now 2-1 after coming back late in the game against Jensen Beach on Feb. 25 to take a 6-5 win.
The Lady Brahmans will be on the road next to take on Martin County on March 4.
