Coral Reef dominant as it cruises to third consecutive GMAC softball championship
Losing a starting pitcher to injury can sometimes derail a team’s season.
Coral Reef’s softball team didn’t let that happen.
Despite losing one of its two regular starters, junior Erin Zambrano, to injury last month, the Barracudas have endured and remained one of the top teams in South Florida thanks to their depth and a core of players who have stuck together for the past four years.
On Thursday afternoon, Coral Reef showed why it is still one of the more dominant teams in the state by blanking longtime rival Miami Palmetto 15-0 in three innings in the GMAC championship game at South Dade High School.
The Barracudas (17-5) won their third consecutive GMAC title and are looking to solidify their seeding in a tough Region 4-7A bracket when the district playoffs begin on April 28.
Zambrano, who suffered a stress fracture in her cervical spine, could be back in time for either districts or regionals according to Coral Reef coach Zach Segal. But junior lefty Quinley Wylie, who split starts with Zambrano in the past, has thrived as the Barracudas’ ace.
“We’ve had to play around with some stuff to save our pitcher’s arm,” Segal said. “But (Wylie) has been a bulldog. We went to the Kissimmee (Klassic) recently with the mindset that we wanted to at least win three of the five games we played. She was like ‘No, I’m pitching all five.’ And she did.”
Wylie didn’t have to pitch much on Thursday against Palmetto (8-12), going just three innings before the 15-mercy rule took effect. To rest Wylie’s arm for the upcoming postseason run, senior infielder Avery Clegg pitched during Coral Reef’s 14-0 win over Hialeah and 15-0 win over Hialeah-Miami Lakes in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively.
Clegg and Wylie have been huge at the plate as well for the Barracudas and led the team in hitting in Zambrano’s absence.
Junior Brianna Fields’ three-run home run in the second highlighted the offensive barrage for Coral Reef. Freshman Aliyah Quinones belted a two-out triple in the first that ignited the Barracudas’ offense.
All nine Barracudas starters got a hit and scored a run.
Coral Reef has leaned on the experience of players like Wylie and Fields, who have been on the team for the past four seasons. As of this week, the Barracudas stand to be the No. 2 seed in Region 4-7A behind Lake Worth Park Vista and just ahead of projected No. 3-seed and defending state champion Davie Western.
The Barracudas finish the regular season with a game Saturday against Fort Myers Bishop Verot before playing as the top seed in District 16-7A.
“This whole group has been in and knows our culture and follows it,” Segal said. “Pitching and defense have been our strong points. We hit the ball like we could, but we have to keep it going.”
