Despite injury to star pitcher, Park Vista High softball back at state and eyeing title

Chloe Fariello wasn’t supposed to pitch for Park Vista until next season. Yet, the sophomore hurler stands ready to take the mound against Orange City-University softball (25-0) in a battle of unbeatens Friday with a trip to the state championship on the line.

First pitch for the Class 7A semifinal is 12:30 p.m. in Clermont. 

Fariello, along with fellow pitchers Nicole Mergen and Nariyah Jones, was thrown from the proverbial frying pan into the circle when star pitcher Tyrina Jones went down with an ACL injury less than a dozen games into the season.

But Fariello and the others have risen to the task with flying colors, helping Park Vista (28-0) maintain an undefeated record this season — an unbeaten stretch that encompasses the last 49 games in a row and includes the 2019 Class 9A state championship.

“Obviously, we’ve had to expedite our pitching plans for this season,” coach Joe DellaRocca said. “We knew we had a solid young pitching staff waiting in the wings, if you will, behind Tyrina. But again, now that the game plan has been expedited for those young pitchers, they’ve certainly answered the bell.”

Player rankings:Here's the Top 10 players in Palm Beach County

Regional final:Park Vista High softball advances to state and extends win streak to 49 games

Regional semifinal:Park Vista High softball keeps state title hopes alive with walk-off win over Palm Beach Gardens

Fariello, who handles the majority of work on the mound, has been exceptional for the Cobras. 

Sporting a spotless record, Fariello has a 1.01 earned run average, holding opposing batters to a .231 average. 

She threw 145 pitches in a 10-inning regional semifinal win against Palm Beach Gardens, and then pitched five innings days later against Port St. Lucie-Treasure Coast in the Cobras’ 6-2 regional final win. 

“She’s an extremely competitive kid,” DellaRocca said. “One of our mantras at Park Vista is, ‘we compete everyday.’ And Chloe has a competitive spirit, and I love that about her. Our teammates rally around her. With that mindset, she’s very confident in what she can do.”

Fariello’s confidence was certainly on display during the Cobras’ successful run through regionals. 

“I’m going to win,” Fariello said after the win over Treasure Coast last week. “We’ve got our defense and we’ve got hitters. We have the potential to win, and I’m not going to stop until I’m there.”

Though Park Vista normally prepares for each game with scouting film, very little exists for the upcoming matchup. In lieu of film, the Cobras are focusing on their own strengths and are confident with what they bring to the table.

“We just need to continue to do what we’ve done all week in practice, what we’ve done all season long, in just continuing to prepare in the manner that we do, play the game that we play best,” DellaRocca said. “And as long as we go out and execute what we’ve worked on all season, whether they’ve seen it or not, we feel confident that it can serve us well.”

Class 7A semifinal

Friday

Park Vista vs. Orange City-University in Clermont, 12:30 p.m.