Zion Lutheran Falls To Wellington 3-2

A high school manager never really knows what he is going to get when his team takes the field for the first time in real uniforms, with real fans, and a real team on the other side of the field. Sometimes, even after that first game is played, it is hard for a coach to know just what he has.

That was the case for Wellington Manager Scott Riddle on Monday, as his Wolverines opened their 2013 campaign against Zion Lutheran in the HSBN South Florida Preseason Challenge. What Riddle learned Monday afternoon was what he had already suspected, his team is a scrappy bunch, and one in which hits in key situations will define the season.

The first of those key hits came in the sixth inning of a scoreless game off the bat of Michael Cusenza. The clean-up hitter had a two-run single in the sixth, breaking a scoreless tie, and leading the Wolverines to a 3-2 win.

“I was just looking for something to hit up the middle,” said Cusenza. “I worked the count to 2-0, then he came in with a pitch, and I was able to get it out to the outfield and drive in the runs. It was a good start for us.”

The first five innings turned into a pitching duel, with starters Mike Rodriguez of Wellington and Alex Ernestine from Zion controlling the action. Rodriguez threw three innings of shutout ball, effeciently throwing 33 pitches, 25 of which were strikes. Ernestine went five scoreless innings, striking out four Wolverines along the way. Jeremy Panakos also threw three shutout innings for the Wolverines.

Offensively, Wellington had several opportunities to get on the board, but the big hit eluded them for most of the day.

In the sixth, the Wolverines got something cooking with a one-out hit from Brad Riddle. Tyler Corbin was then hit by a pitch, and a double steal put runners on second and third with one out. Suddenly Wellington was in business. Cusenza then hit a high chopper that got over the drawn in infield, plating two.

A balk brought in the third run of the inning.

In their half of the seventh, Zion fought back. Ernestine had a lead-off single, followed by a Bobby Barradas base hit. Johnny Mendez singled as well, driving in the Lions’ first run. Barradas scored also on the play after an outfield error.

With the tying run on now on second, a failed bunt attempt became the first out of the inning. Mendez was then caught stealing, and after a hit batter, Wellington closer Phil Seili recorded a strikeout, earning the save in the process.

For both teams, it was a learning experience, one in which both coaches could take pride in their teams effort.

“That’s what you want to see,” said Lions Manager Mike Dobre, when asked about his teams battling attitude until the end. “First game of the season, battling the whole game, falling down 3-0 and then battling back. That’s what you hope to see from your team this early.”

Riddle was equally complementary with the way his team handled itself in game one.

“We played today as advertised,” said Riddle. “We are going to be able to stay in games with our pitching and defense, and we are going to have to manufacture runs. We don’t have a bunch of guys that are going to hit the ball over the wall, so we are going to have to execute, and today we were able to do that there at the end.”

Wellington will finish their preseason schedule on Wednesday when they face American at Flanagan High School. Zion will be back at it again this afternoon, facing another Palm Beach squad, Atlantic, at Highlands Christian.

Palm Beach finished the first day of the South Florida Challenge with a perfect 5-0 record. Broward went 1-4, and Miami 0-2.

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