Warriors get a shot at district
By CRISTINA LEDRA
Published May 5, 2005
CRYSTAL RIVER - Hanging in the Seven Rivers Christian gymnasium is a new banner the baseball team would love to put a stamp on.
Today the Warriors will have the chance to spell out district champions on that banner when they play Hernando Christian Academy at 4 p.m. in the Class A-5 title game at Hernando Christian. Tuesday afternoon, Seven Rivers beat St. John 3-2 to advance. That just a few seasons ago the Warriors struggled to net a single win makes this all the more special for the fifth-year program.
"We've waited for this for a long time," outfielder Drew Donovan said. "I'm just so excited."
Seven Rivers finished last season 6-10 and had just two victories the previous two years combined.
But this season, a slew of young talent has resulted in a deep lineup and a pool of reliable pitchers.
Donovan, Chad Peets, Justin Richardson and Jason Richardson each are hitting .300-plus. Cody Swain and Matt Rees are batting about .300. Seven Rivers coach Steve Ekeli has yet to decide who will get the start on the mound. But he said Peets, who fired a complete game Monday, was a possibility because he was able to keep his pitch count down.
Richardsons and Swain are available to work.
The Warriors enter confident, pointing to their gradual improvement.
"We probably had our best practice of the year on Monday," Peets said.
"At the beginning of the year, we weren't really talking to each other, but on Monday we were like chatterboxes out there," he said. "We really got our communication down, and everybody was hitting the ball."
The Warriors contend that they are better equipped to handle the Hernando Christian squad that beat them twice this season. The first was an 8-3 loss and the second was 9-3. "Their batters are hot, and they've got good pitching," Ekeli said of the Lions. "But at this point, they're not any better than us. "This time, we know this is for all the marbles and that we're not going to get another chance at this team."
- Cristina Ledra can be reached at 352 564-3623 or cledra@sptimes.com