When two rival teams step up to the plate and face-off against one another, it’s usually a grudge match over school pride.
But when Sebastian River High School’s baseball team faced off against Vero Beach High School during the fourth annual Dollars for Scholars Spring Baseball Classic at Holman Stadium in the Vero Beach Sports Village Feb. 23, it was for a good cause.
Altruism aside, the Sharks and Indians played with the ferocity of a district championship.
From the first pitch, it seemed to be a one-sided contest.
The Sharks started out strong, scoring five runs in the first inning. The Indians answered back with a single run in the bottom of the first inning.
Sebastian River player Chris Artz crossed home plate on an RBI, boosting the Sharks up six to one in the bottom of the third.
Up through the third inning, the Sharks seemed unstoppable until Vero’s second baseman Christian Williams ended Sebastian River’s run with a double play.
The game came to a temporary halt soon after, though.
What started out as a couple of drops, falling from the sky, soon became a deluge.
In fact, the sudden rain shower at the top of the third inning nearly threatened to end the game. Officials and team coaches had team members seek shelter as they waited out the cloudburst. After 20 minutes of steady rain, the shower moved on and the game continued.
The soggy intermission seemed to breathe new life into the Indians.
After adding another run for Sebastian River, Vero’s devastating scoring drive started earnestly in the bottom of the fourth inning with a single run. The Sharks couldn’t seem to contain the Indians.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Vero’s Vincent Patrick stepped up to the plate with a single out and bases loaded on the board. Patrick hit one deep into center field, allowing for Indian’s runner Scott Wright to score a run.
Then, Indians’ momentum overtook the Sharks as Vero scored five unanswered runs in the fifth inning and eight more runs in the sixth inning.
VERO BEACH — The final score was Sebastian River High School: 7, Vero Beach High School: 15. The Sharks had five hits and two errors, while the Indians had 12 hits and only one error.
The Indians have won the classic two out of the last three years.
Dollars for Scholars receives yearly support from School District of Indian River County through benefit football and baseball games and since 2006, more than $108,780 has been raised. The funds go to scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 for students with financial need to attend college.
Sebastian River now faces Okeechobee in a district match Feb. 26. Vero Beach will play Martin County in a non-district away game Feb. 26.