Mobley, Wright power Plant City past Riverview

By Brett Goodrich, Correspondent

RIVERVIEW – Zane Wright with his dominate fastball, Chase Mobley with his light-tower power, and Colin Pellicer with his resilient body paced the Plant City Raiders to a dominating 9-2 victory over the Riverview Sharks.

Riverview (6-9) started the scoring when leadoff hitter Adrian Rolon turned around a fastball for a no-doubt, line-drive shot over the leftfield fence. Rolon, an Erskine College commit, had himself a monster night adding a line drive double down the right field line in the third and a single in both the fifth and seventh inning, finishing the night 4-for-4 with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base.

Outside of the production from their leadoff hitter, the Sharks were only able to scrape together two other singles and drew three walks on the night. The Raiders’ pitching staff was overpowering, starting with Wright’s four innings pitched allowing a lone run and retiring five on strikes.

“(I) was trying to dominate the strike zone with whatever was feeling good,” Wright said.

Wright’s fastball must have been feeling really good, relying on it heavily and only mixing in a handful of off-speed pitches. Touching 90 on the gun, the Shark hitters were struggling to barrel up the ball against Wright, who consistently manufactured weak contact.

In the top of the second inning, Chase Mobley tied the game by anticipating an 0-1 curveball. Despite catching the end of his bat, Mobley was able to give the ball just enough umph to clear the left field fence.

Mobley, when asked about his approach at the plate, said he expected “heavy curveballs. I knew that going in [to the at-bat], previous batters seeing it, and them telling me.”

The second run of the inning scored when the Raiders loaded the bases with a Landen Robert walk, Ray Cowen and Pellicer were plunked, and Deven Gonzalez drew a full count walk to earn an RBI.

In the top half of the third, the Raiders exploded for seven more runs, starting with a walk by Anthony Palestrini and a tattooed line drive double off another curveball, off the center field fence by Mobley. Robert was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Cowen took advantage, smacking a line drive single between the third baseman and shortstop, plating two.

2 run single by @Raycowen10 @plantcityhighBB helps pad the lead.
PC 5@RiverviewBaseb1 1
Still top of 3 with bases loaded 2 out@813Preps pic.twitter.com/Rn6X0UCQNd

— 813TweetsTheGoods (@813Goods) April 4, 2023

The Sharks were one pitch from escaping the inning with limited damage, but Pellicer was struck by a 3-2 fastball. Gonzalez followed with his second walk with the bases loaded. Adan Longoria plated a run by drawing a walk and Palestrini came through in the next at bat with a two RBI single to left field.

@Anthony_pally16 add two more for @plantcityhighBB
PC 9@RiverviewBaseb1 1
Bottom 3@813Preps pic.twitter.com/UqOj0ROBLO

— 813TweetsTheGoods (@813Goods) April 4, 2023

Pellicer performed his role as the leadoff hitter to near perfection by walking twice, wearing two and swiping three bags on the basepath.

“I’m new at this whole lead-off thing,” Pellicer said. “My mindset right now is to try to be a grinder.”

Seeing 23 pitches through five at-bats and reaching 80% of the time is exactly what you want from the top spot in your lineup.

Riverview junior Jeff Berrios, in 4 1/3 innings of relief, only gave up two earned runs and struck out three. Berrios was able to ultimately silence the Raiders hitters after the third inning.

Coming out of the pen for the final two frames for the Raiders was southpaw, Logan Figga, who struck out four, walked one and gave up one hit, a bloop single.

Plant City improves to 6-8 on the year and will travel to Lakeland Christian today; Riverview, dropping their third straight game, is looking to bounce back Thursday against Lennard.