Vero Beach Wins Again, Now A Game Away From States

The 2024 District 7A-10 champion Vero Beach Indians. *Photo from @VeroBeachHighSchoolFightingIndiansBaseball.

The Vero Beach Indians did not waste time taking care of business in their latest regional playoff. Vero Beach burst out for nine runs in the first inning and rolled on to a lopsided 15-0 win over the visiting Wellington Wolverines, in Friday’s Class 7A regional semifinal.

The Indians (23-4) advance to the regional finals to host the Harmony Longhorns on Monday night, with the winner of that game stamping its ticket to the state Final Four at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers. Harmony (18-11) advanced with a 10-6 win over the Jupiter Warriors in the 7A-3 regional quarterfinal.

Vero sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning to immediately seize control of the game. Finley Holmes led off with a single, and Jace Romans quickly followed with an RBI double that accounted for the deciding run. Chase Wilson walked and then Cole Morgan was intentionally walked to set up for the force at any base, but instead Ashton Wetmiller lined an RBI single to center that advanced everyone one station.

The tribe celebrates after their win over Palm Beach Central in the regional quarterfinals. *Photo from @VeroBeachHighSchoolFightingIndiansBaseball.

The hits and runs just kept coming. Caleb Wood smacked an RBI single, and Jordan Tomas plated two more with a base hit to center. Holmes was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, and Romans walked to push across another run. Wilson then capped it off by clearing the bases with a three-RBI double to center.

The Indians never looked back, soaring to an early finish via the mercy rule. They have turned things on at the end of the season to play their best baseball when it matters most. They have won five straight, including a victory over rival Treasure Coast to win the district championship.

Now the team has made it back to the regional final for the first time since the 2019 season. There are comparisons to be made to that 2019 squad, and a win over Harmony would match the record they finished with that year. But more importantly, it would mean that Vero Beach moves on to the state tournament.

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