COACH TALK: Ellwood City and Riverside Softball Teams Each Look To Continue Playoff Streaks

Both Ellwood City and Riverside softball teams will enter their 2023 regular season campaigns with sights set on returning to the WPIAL Playoffs, continuing streaks for both teams.

For the Lady Wolverines, a playoff streak currently rests at eight straight seasons, and the girls will look to it nine this spring.

Head coach Gary Rozanski has an experienced group but will need contributions from all players and positions.

“We have a great group of girls returning, their experience is going to be important to our success and continue to build on last year’s success,” says the 18th-year head coach. “It will be important for the upperclassman to step up and become leaders. We will need the incoming, new player(s) to quickly mature and become leaders as well.”

Five starters return for Ellwood City, including senior catcher Aliya Garroway.  Her batterymate, Amber McQuistion, is also returning and will be the focal point on the mound for the Wolverines.

To be successful the group will need to play as a team and put the ball in play and make the routine plays on defense according to Rozanski.

“Take each game, one pitch at a time.”

Rozanski sees their Section 2-3A as competitive top to bottom.

“The section has quality teams and you will have to play your best everyday.”

Ellwood City is joined by Beaver Falls, Central Valley, Hopewell, Mohawk, and Quaker Valley in Section 2-3A. The Wolverines haven’t won a section crown since 2017, the last year they won a WPIAL Championship.

“Every year as a team we want to qualify for playoffs and hope going in we are playing our best ball to put a nice playoff run together,” says Rozanski.

The coach adds, “we say 1% better than the day before to help use prepare for playoffs.”

After collecting an opening round playoff victory over Beaver Falls last year, Ellwood City was bounced in the second round of the Class 3A WPIAL Playoffs by #5 South Moreland. Ellwood City finished their 2022 campaign 11-5 (8-2 Section 2-3A).

“The girls have a great attitude and a lot of excitement coming into the season,” adds Rozanski.

The Lady Wolverines have started sharp this season, settling in with a 2-0 record after an impressive 11-1 mercy-rule victory over Keystone Oaks on Wednesday.

PANTHERS LOOK TO ADD NEW WRINKLE TO PLAYOFF STREAK

The Panthers softball team enter their 2023 campaign off two consecutive playoff appearances, but this year the team has a new goal in mind.

Playoff wins.

“We expect to improve last year’s record (9-7 overall), but we’re looking for Playoff WINS this year,” says head coach Gerilynn Cummings.

After earning their second consecutive playoff berth last spring, Riverside fell to #4 Chartiers-Houston in the opening round of the Class 2A WPIAL Playoffs.

The Lady Panthers return strength in the battery with ace Samantha Rosenberger (D2 Commit to Barry University) on the mound and catcher Maddie Fryer behind the dish.

Fryer has been a starter her entire high school career and Cummings will lean on her leadership and communication behind the plate.

Offensively, the Panthers return three players batted .400+ last year (Aliya Ottaviani, Rosenberger, Danielle Rosenberger) giving the head coach something to build on.

Shortstop Mia Williams is a college prospect, and Ottaviani, who will be playing at Geneva College next year, area each looking to take the next steps according to Cummings.

Riverside will look to make its mark in Section 1-2A this season along with the likes of Aliquippa, Freedom, Laurel, Neshannock, New Brighton, and Shenango. Riverside finished third in the now defunct Section 4 last season.

“When you’re in the same section as Neshannock and Laurel, you have to take on your opponents with confidence and intensity,” says Cummings. “The team is looking forward to playing them this year.”

The team will need to grab a win or two against them according to Cummings to be in a position to return the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Even though Ellwood City isn’t in the Panthers’ section, the rivals will match up twice this year.

“The fact that they’re on our schedule twice this year is exciting for the backyard brawl,” says Cummings.

The April 20th RivEll match-up against Ellwood City is a “Club Hope Foundation” game with the Panthers hosting the contest with a food vendor (Chubby’s Pizza Wagon) on site for extra concessions.

“We are looking forward to a good rivalry game (hopefully in enjoyable weather) so we can raise awareness for the great things Club Hope does,” concludes Cummings.