Heritage wins state softball title for 8th time

VERO BEACH — Julia Grobman was on her game Thursday morning.

So were the rest of the American Heritage-Plantation Patriots.

And that’s why, for the eighth time in program history, the Patriots are state softball champions.

Grobman retired 19 of the last 21 batters she faced, Katherine Rodriguez had two hits and an RBI, and the and the defense played flawlessly Thursday as the Patriots defeated Land O’Lakes 5-1 in the Class 6A title game at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach.

“We clicked on all cylinders,” Heritage coach Marty Cooper said. “It was a collective effort all the way around.”

It’s the eighth state championship in program history for the Patriots, who faced Land O’Lakes in the title game for the third straight year.

American Heritage beat the Gators two years ago, but lost in the title game last year.

Score the rubber match for the Patriots.

“What I’m most proud of for this team right here is … we lost nine seniors last year,” Cooper said. “Five of them were starters. And we’re back here again and these kids battled, battled, battled.

“They took some lumps over the regular season until they collectively got themselves together, but as of the last part of the season, they’ve been playing very strong.”

After giving up a run in the first inning, Grobman gave up just one hit — a seventh-inning single — the rest of the way. The junior set down 13 batters in a row at one point and finished the day allowing four hits while striking out four.

“I couldn’t have done it without my defense behind me, obviously,” Grobman said. “It was a shaky first inning. I just had to get the nerves out. After that, everything was working for me.”

With the score tied 1-1, Analyse Jimenez led off the second inning with a walk and eventually scored on a single by Janai Conklin. A perfectly placed bunt by Olivia Mason would score Conklin and the Patriots had the lead for good.

“It’s amazing,” Grobman said. “I mean, there’s honestly no better feeling than winning the state championship.”