After capturing the District Championship, Pace High School’s softball team knew its posed a stronger challenge to Key West than any other teams in the regional playoffs.
The Lady Spartans were right.
Pace edged the Conchs, 5-4, in the regional quarterfinals, setting up a match-up with nationally-ranked Gulliver Prep.
But the game was not kind to the Lady Spartans, as Gulliver won a 16-4, six-inning, mercy-run rule game in the Region 4-5 semifinal contest.
Trailing 13-2 in the bottom of the fifth-inning, Pace scored two runs to extend the game to the sixth inning.
Gulliver then scored three runs and the game was stopped.
Pace took an early 2-1 lead in the first inning when Monica Marquez belted a home run that brought home two runners.
Pace considers 2016 a good season, beating Mater Lakes, 6-1, to win the District title and stopping Key West from advancing to the semifinal in a potential match-up with Gulliver Prep.