By Tamas Mondovics
As the Riverview 10U Lady Warriors fast pitch travel softball team continues to rack up a wide range of tournament wins, it is effectively becoming one of the most outstanding youth softball teams in the region.
With seven USSSA titles under its belt, the program has been posting a winning streak since last August with one tournament victory after another, turning the 2016 season into a solid year of success.
According to team Coach Matt Hallock, one of the girls’ most recent victories came after a second place finish in the USSSA 10U Louisville Slugger Classic in Ocoee.
To prove its commitment, dedication and talent, the Lady Warriors team bounced back and went 5-0 to win the USSSA 1-day 10U Border Wars tournament championship just a couple of weeks later in Crystal River.
“We have outscored our opponents 57-4 on 50 hits over the five game tournament,” Hallock said.
The numbers clearly match the girls skills as the team beat their state opponents, including Gainesville Gold 6-0, 3N2 Diamond Girlz of Longwood, 10-0, Inferno ’06 of Alachua, 15-1, and The Fusion from St. John’s, 16-3, before advancing to the championship game.
In the finals, the Warriors threw all four pitchers, which combined for a no-hitter and beat the 3N2 Diamond Girlz again, 10-0, to win the tournament championship.
The team improved its USSSA travel season record to 41-4 and was ready to advance to compete in the 30 team USSSA Briana Cox Memorial Tournament during the end of May holiday weekend in West Palm Beach.
While coming short of the title, the Warriors third place finish at one of the most competitive events is by no means short of success, which was appropriately acknowledged by team representatives on the Warriors’ Facebook page following the tourney.
“Super proud of our Riverview Warriors this weekend taking third place at the Briana Cox Memorial,” Hallock said. “Hats off to Gold Coast Hurricanes for winning the Texas tiebreaker vs us and making it to the championship”.
The Lady Warriors are now eying to compete at the NSA Florida State Championships on June 18-19 at the Polk State College in Lakeland.
To complete the season, however, the team is ultimately gearing up for the tourney of the year, the USSSA World Series at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, scheduled for July 16-23, which will welcome 33 teams, with the Warriors ranking second.
“As far as preparation is concerned, for us business is as usual,” Hallock said.
Follow the Riverview Warriors through its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ 05Lady Warriors/.
