Father Lopez

Seven Volusia-Flagler softball teams start their quest for championship glory this week — and one for pure perfection. University survived the entire regular season without a loss and stands the best chance of bringing home the first state softball title in area history. The Titans (22-0) ended the year at No.

Volusia County middle school and high school student-athletes will be offered free electrocardiogram (ECG) screenings for the first time this summer in addition to the annual state-required sports physical. Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death among high school athletes, with an estimate of 1 in 300 student-athletes having an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk.   The goal of the screenings, approved Tuesday by the Volusia County School Board in partnership with AdventHealth, is early detection and treatment of heart abnormalities.

The Mainland Buccaneers were washed away in the Green Wave of Father Lopez and fell to the home team 7-1 on Friday night. With back-to-back three-run innings, the Green Wave made scoring look easy with Ethan Fermin scoring off a Matthew Zirpoli single, and Will Moore singling to send Matthew Zirpoli and Zach Taylor home in the second. Up 3-0 in the third, Father Lopez saw Aaron Baroni come home off Ethan Fermin’s single, and followed that with Ethan Fermin and Lochlan Gray coming home off a line drive from Matthew Zirpoli.

Father Lopez Baseball won at home, beating Flagler Palm Coast Baseball 4-1 on Wednesday, March 24. Father Lopez started leftie sophomore pitcher Owen McKinely, while the Bulldogs started junior left-hander Tanner Araujo. The Green Wave scored first, in the bottom of the second inning, when McKinley stole home on a wild pitch to sophomore batter David Hickey.