Riv-Ell Series Kicks Off The Baseball Season For Riverside & Ellwood City

What better way to roll out the spring baseball season, than to have two rivals host a home-and-home series?

The crosstown rivals, Ellwood City and Riverside, each will quickly get acquainted with one another beginning Monday, March 27th when the Wolverines will host the Panthers in Ewing Park to begin regular season section play.

The teams will flip home fields as part of the mini, two-game tilt with Riverside holding home field on Tuesday, March 28th.

For Ellwood City, a pitching staff will be a strength this season according to head coach Chris Weisz and, after back to back successful seasons, including a playoff berth in 2022, the coach believes there will be much more sound play in the 2023 campaign.

“We are working hard every day,” says Weisz. “We know if we don’t get better and repeat the mistakes of years past it will be very difficult in this section this year to win games and make the playoffs.”

Individually, Joseph Roth will look to take his game to the next level and Weisz expect big things from the big junior this year. The first baseman stands at 6’5″.

“Over the last two years he has gotten better each year. He is stronger and a year older and I expect big things for him this year for our team.”

source: ecwolverines.com

Isaiah Lutz is another returning, two-year starter that Weisz has his eye on this spring.

“Isaiah has put endless hours in over the offseason to get stronger, faster, and overall better baseball player,” gushes Weisz. “Early on it has showed and were going to rely on him at the top of our order and the centerpiece of our infield this year.”

Along with the rival Panthers, Weisz expect battles every game in section play.

Section 1-3A certainly has some new faces in 2023 with the likes of Riverside and Shenango, who both tied for the Section title in Section 2-2A last season, moving up into Class 3A along with a 20-win Neshannock team. Riverside, Shenango, and Neshannock all were playoff teams in Class 2A last year.

“You have elite coaches, players and teams in what I believe is the best section in 1A thru 6A in the WPIAL,” adds Weisz.

Rounding out the new seven-team Class 3A Section 1 is Beaver Falls, Mohawk, and Quaker Valley.

“This year you can really expect a fun and competitive team on the field,” concludes Weisz.

OF NOTE: Trib-Live HSSN lists senior P-OF Nick Magnifico, Roth, and sophomore Will Nardone as players to watch in Class 2A.

The Ellwood City baseball team is currently taking part in some early spring games in Orlando, Florida. The Wolverines suffered a 7-3 loss to Mater Academy Charter on Wednesday.

PANTHERS LOOK TO MAKE MARK AS FAVORITE IN NEW SECTION

Riverside comes in as a Preseason Top 5 team in Class 2A according to Trib-Live HSSN. The Panthers finished 17-7 overall in 2022 and advanced to the WPIAL Class 2A semifinals before losing 6-5 to eventual champion Serra Catholic in a semifinals.

The Panthers’ top returning players are senior infielder Evan Burry and junior catcher Darren McDade.

Trib-Live HSSN lists junior catcher Darren McDade and senior infielder Evan Burry as players to watch in Class 2A

Beyond Burry, McDade and the other team captains, the Panthers are young.

“We were very young last year so we are expecting more maturity,” says head coach Dan Oliastro. “We have several young players who are vying for the few spots open.”

The team will lean on pitching and defense and the coach expects a more disciplined and mature team with its sights set on winning a section championship.

“Our strengths are pitching and defense,” says Oliastro. “However, we expect improvement in hitting.”

Moving up in classification for the Panthers presents new section opponents. Oliastro points to one rival on a regular season schedule that opens play next Monday.

“Obviously Ellwood is a rival but we only circle our next opponent.”

Both games in the home-and-home series are schedule for 4:00 p.m. first pitches.