Seminole Ridge Opens Strong Against Forest Hill

Seminole Ridge’s Carmine Ciofolletti was 2-for-4 and scored three runs in the Hawks 13-1 win.

Seminole Ridge Manager Trent Pendergast has harped on his players all throughout the preseason about taking the right offensive approach.

It always feels good as a coach to know that they are listening.

The Hawks were patient but aggressive as they opened up the 2013 season with a convincing 13-1 victory over host Forest Hill in the Falcons First-Pitch Classic Monday evening.

“We are really trying to educate the kids to know what specific pitches they hit well in situations,” Pendergast said. “We have done a lot of preparation, and they have taken to it and brought it into the game quite well today. There were a lot of positives.”

Seminole Ridge (1-0) scored in each of the first three innings in support of starting pitcher Zack Berry, who earned the victory on the mound.

“We made way too many errors tonight,” Falcons Manager Russ Milliken said. “We also struggled to throw strikes. If you can’t throw strikes you can’t win.”

While the Falcons (0-1) got off to a slow start, the Hawks burst out of the gate for a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Alex Aristy hit a leadoff single to left field and advanced to third on Anthony Boccanfuso’s fielder’s choice groundout. Senior starting catcher Jason Moore than battled through a tough at-bat against Falcons sophomore starter Madison Milliken before finding a hole in the left side for an RBI single.

Freshman courtesy runner Brooks Aristy come in for Moore, and eventually came home on an infield error.

“It feels good to have the offense behind me. I just have to go out and throw strikes, get ground balls and pop ups and let the game play,” Berry said.

Forest Hill’s Juan Iglesias connects for an RBI single.

Holding the lead before he even took the mound, Berry took control and cruised through four innings by throwing 37 of his 58 pitches for strikes. The big right-hander kept himself ahead in most counts and was able to work through a few jams in keeping Forest Hill at bay.

Berry’s best pitch on the night proved to be his curveball, which he managed to record five swinging strikeouts with.

“I was leaving some of my pitches up, but my curve was on tonight and I liked it,” Berry said. “It’s a good feeling to know you have a pitch you can go to that you can throw pretty much wherever you want and get a strike.”

After the Hawks added four more runs in the second inning, Carmine Ciofolletti helped the Hawks pull away in the third by pushing David Carnicella and Alex Aristy across the plate with an RBI single he cracked down the right sideline past the first baseman.

Ciofelletti finished 2-for-4 with three runs, while Alex Aristy and Mark Kuhner both went 2-for-2.

“This was really the way you draw it up,” Pendergast said. “We scored some runs early, and then Zack comes out and pitches a great game and shuts them down.”

Forest Hill managed to avoid a shutout in the second inning, as Juan Iglesias singled to right field, stole second and then scored when Jesus Delgado blooped an RBI double into shallow left field.

But the Falcons were unable to mount any other offensive attacks, managing but three baserunners the rest of the way.

“We’re disappointed, but we’re not discouraged,” Milliken said. “Its cliché, but I always say that I’d rather lose early than lose late. We saw a lot of things we need to work on, but fortunately there is time.”

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