Steinbrenner handles Riverview for fifth-straight win

Steinbrenner junior Will Hoblitzell dives across the plate to score the Warriors first run after the Sharks misplay a ball in leftfield. Hoblitzell scored two as the Warriors stretched out a big lead in the first two innings.

By Jarrett Guthrie, Editor

RIVERVIEW – Through a tough first half of the regular season, Steinbrenner found itself wrapping up Saladino Tournament pool play with a 4-10 record – right there in seven of those losses, which were decided by one or two runs.

Looking for a bit of luck and to stay within themselves the Warriors battled to a one-run win against East Bay in a tournament consolation game – avenging one of those early-season losses. After that win, Steinbrenner’s coaching staff told the players to “stay here” – to live in this moment, execute at this level and focus on themselves and not the win-loss record.

Assistant coach Vince Scanio locked in the new mantra with new shirts bearing the slogan for the players at the next practice.

Lucky t-shirts? Or repetition finally finding its way to success?

It’s hard to say, but things have started to go the Warriors way, as Steinbrenner has ripped off five-straight victories – including a 13-1 win on Tuesday at Riverview.

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“I think we’ve been playing much more as a team and supporting each other,” senior Ty Ciccarello said. “People are playing more selflessly and we haven’t stopped putting in that effort, from practice to games, no matter what our record has been. And we are just starting to put it together a little bit better.”

Riverview senior catcher Jordan Shultz threw out a runner at second base in the first inning.

The Steinbrenner (9-10) senior did his part moving a runner with a bunt in the first, beating it out for a single and scoring as the Warriors jumped out quickly against the Sharks, scoring five runs in the first inning. Ciccarello would add a two-run double in the next inning to further an insurmountable lead.

Steinbrenner junior Coby Moesching added two more hits in the win, adding to his team-leading .382 average. Moesching singled twice and scored two runs in the Warriors win.

A pair of errors around a Coby Moesching single plated the first run, Gavin Mix and Evan Juan singled in two more runs, before junior Gabe Ortiz blasted his first varsity home run over the wall in left-center to put the game out of reach.

Warriors head coach Chenzo Scanio wears a big grin as junior Gabe Ortiz rounds third and heads home after his first varsity home run capped a five-run opening frame.

Riverview (7-13) scratched back one run in the home-first as Peyton Newman led off with the first of his two hits in the loss, and scored on an up-the-middle hit by Yadiel Rivera-Morales.

Riverview senior Peyton Newman connects on his leadoff single to center in the first inning …

… and fellow senior Yadiel Rivera-Morales went back up the middle with an RBI single a few batters later.

But that would be all the Warriors pitching staff would allow, as Juan struck out a pair and allowed just one more hit over his two innings of work. Steinbrenner would plate seven in the second – keyed by Ciccarello’s double and an RBI groundout by Ortiz, allowing the Warriors to empty out the bench (including a fifth-inning RBI single from Chase Petker, and 14 players reaching base safely in the win) before the mercy-rule ending in the fifth.

Steinbrenner junior Evan Juan picked up the win, allowing one unearned run over his two innings of work.

Brooks Belisle struck out four in his two innings of relief and Jackson Winterberg fanned the side in the fifth to end the game.

Brooks Belisle struck out two in each of his two innings of relief for the Warriors, allowing just one single.

Jackson Winterberg struck out the side in the fifth to wrap up the game.

After the win, Warriors head coach Chenzo Scanio said the early-season record saw its share of bad luck and the ball just not bouncing his team’s way, and though pleased with the recent run, said this is what this team has been capable all along.

“Honestly, nothing (is different),” Scanio said. “This is the most resilient group of guys I’ve ever been around. Early in that stretch we played some really good baseball and lost five or six one-run games.

“These guys will joke about it, and we made shirts, but we are just gonna stay right here. We aren’t going to get too high or too low, we’re just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

Gavin Mix burned the Sharks defense with an RBI double to center in the first inning.

His senior agreed.

“I think we were always in (those) games, we never really played a game we weren’t right there,” Ciccarello said. “It was bound to happen for us. We were always going to eventually find a way to make it all start working.”

And to keep it going with just 12 days left before district tournaments begin, Ciccarello said the team will follow the advice across the front of their newest addition to the wardrobe.

“We need to ‘stay here’ – like the shirts say,” Ciccarello said. “I think we need to focus on how we play together, and not worry about who we are playing. We do that and the wins will keep coming.”

Senior Ty Ciccarello placed this bunt perfectly into no-man’s land between the pitcher and first base and hustled it out for a single.

That upcoming stretch will challenge Steinbrenner, as the Warriors will have to contend with some stiff competition through its final five regular-season games.

“We’ve got Strawberry Crest Thursday, Newsome Saturday, and Wesley Chapel and Plant City next week, so yeah, it doesn’t get any easier,” Scanio said. “Look, we didn’t do ourselves any favors (early in the year), but this is what we want and if we are blessed enough to keep playing through April we’re going to be ready to go.”

Riverview will finish its season on the road, traveling to Jefferson on Saturday, before ending the regular season with visits to Armwood and Robinson next week.

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Steinbrenner 13
Riverview 1 – five innings

S 570|01x|x – |13|12|0
R 100|00x|x – |1|4|4
W – Juan; L – Marino
2B – Mix, Ciccarello (R); HR – Ortiz (S). Records – S (9-10); R (7-13).

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Sharks first-year head coach and Riverview alum Matthew Yates hits fungo prior to the game.

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With his father and assistant coach Vince Scanio just over his left shoulder, second-year Steinbrenner head coach Chenzo Scanio covers his heart during the pregame playing of the Star Spangled Banner.

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