LUTZ-Skiboe Nation is something not to be trifled with. The symbolized way of life for the Steinbrenner Warriors (9-5, 6-1) seems to bring nothing but good news and good baseball as they cruised past their district rival, the Gaither Cowboys (6-9, 2-4) in a 3-1 windy victory that clinched them the number one seed in this years district 7A playoffs.
Senior pitcher Ryan Fatzinger took the mound for the Warriors with backup catcher Nicholas Alessi still filling in for Chase DeBonis who is still on the injured reserve list from a sickness he caught earlier on in the season right around the Saladino tournament. Fatzinger and company kept Gaither silent after a troubling but harmless first inning.
Fatzinger would cruise for nine strikeouts, giving up four hits, and three walks on the night until CJ Van Eyk would come in to claim the save in the top of the seventh getting two big strikeouts. The only run on the night for the Cowboys came on a solo shot to left field in the top of the sixth by Kenny Rodriguez.
“It doesn’t matter what the numbers look like. It just matters what the end result is. A “W” (win),” said Lindsay.
For the Warriors offense, right fielder Drew Burkhart continued producing big hits and RBI’s as he drove a ball deep over center field with the help of some powerful storm winds for a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. In the bottom of the sixth, Andrew Lindsay drove a ball down the right field line giving plenty of time for both Brandon Johnson and Burkhart to score putting them up 3-1.
“[I] didn’t want to do what I did last time,” said Lindsay. “Just hit the ball. Just touch it.”
The Warriors will face Freedom on the road for their last district game of the season before playoffs begin in late April on this coming Tuesday.
Written by Evan Abramson/Online Sports Editor
