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It’s not his fault
Photo
Scrappers third baseman Erik Gonzalez tags out Crosscutters baserunner Chace Numata to complete a fielder’s choice in the first inning of Tuesday’s game at Eastwood Field. The Scrappers won 6-2.
By Steve Ruman
NILES
Joe Sever knows he has his work cut out for him in his efforts to bring his family into the good graces of the sports fans of the Mahoning Valley.
Sure, Sever started off his Scrappers career on Sunday with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate and a solid game at second base. The Pepperdine product who was selected by the Indians in the 21st round of the June draft was a college All-American and was recently named West Coast Conference Player of the Year.
But it’s going to take a lot from Sever to make area fans forget about Uncle John.
“Actually, knowing the history, I don’t think fans will ever forget. I just hope I can win them over and make a good name for me and my family,” Sever said with a laugh.
You see, Sever’s uncle isn’t your ordinary John. Rather, he is John Elway. In other parts of the country, Elway might be hailed as a Hall of Fame and Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Here, he is only known for ripping the hearts out of Cleveland sports fans.
“It was kind of ironic that I was picked by the Indians,” Sever said. “I obviously grew up hearing about the games against Cleveland. I just hope these fans don’t hold that against me.”
Sever was not in the lineup Tuesday night when the Scrappers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 6-2 home win over Williamsport.
A San Jose native, Sever was sought after by a number of Division I schools, including nearby Stanford. Rather than follow in the footsteps of both his uncle and grandfather Jack Elway, Sever opted on a school which was located six hours south of home.
“I just wanted to create my own legacy,” Sever said. “I didn’t want to be compared to those who came before me. It would have been a tough act to follow.”
Sever also had an additional reason to pass on Stanford. His mother Jana Elway-Sever (John’s twin) died of cancer at the age of 42 when he was 12 years old. Jena was frequently treated at Stanford Hospital.
“It got to where I associated Stanford with that period of time in my life. When it came time to choose a college, I wanted to break away and start fresh,” Sever said.
The decision paid off. Sever culminated a stellar collegiate career this spring, finishing the year with a .366 batting average and 53 RBIs. He was among the conference leaders in multiple categories, including a .417 average in WCC play.
Sever was also tops with 40 conference hits and 10 doubles. He notched a pair of home runs and 10 doubles — good for a .583 slugging percentage.
Sever played his final game at Pepperdine on June 4, the same day he was drafted by the Indians. He arrived in Niles last Thursday, and played his first pro game on Sunday.
“This has been one hectic month, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It’s been a dream come true,” Sever said. “I still have a ton of work to do in order to achieve my ultimate goal, but right now I’m thrilled to be where I’m at.”
Sever’s early childhood experiences include attending a pair of Super Bowls in which his uncle led the Denver Broncos to victory. He uses the memories to push his own career forward.
“There was nothing like the feeling of seeing [Elway] win it all,” Sever said. “That has been a huge inspiration. I look back at those times, and it really inspires me to work as hard as I can in order to reach my full potential.
“John always tells me, ‘Have fun and work hard.’”
Sever also relies on the inspiration of his mom on a daily basis. Before each at-bat, he carves her initials into the dirt with his bat. After every hit, he kisses his hand and points upward.
“She has always been my biggest motivation. Every time I take the field, I feel as though she is right by my side,” Sever said.
While Sever enjoyed a night of rest on Tuesday, the Scrappers’ bats finally woke up.
Struggling to score runs during their recent skid, the Scrappers found instant offense when Juan Romero connected on a two-run home run in the bottom of the first.
The blast was Romero’s fourth of the season – tops in the NYPL. Romero, who has a team-high 10 RBIs, is the only Scrapper to homer this season.
Mahoning Valley added three runs in the second inning, thanks to some wild pitching and timely hitting. Williamsport starter Jonathan Musser issued for consecutive walks to plate the Scrappers’ third run. That was followed by a two-run single off the bat of Charlie Valerio.
The Scrappers added their sixth run in the fourth on a Tyler Naquin RBI double.
Naquin, the Indians’ first-round pick in the June draft, was 3-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and a pair of RBIs.
“As a hitter, it’s always nice to get that first big hit out of the way. It was nice to contribute,” Naquin said.
Naquin also believes his teammates will benefit from the win.
“As a team, we needed to break out with some big hits. I truly believe that hitting is contagious,” Naquin said. “One or two hits puts the pitcher on his heels, and all of a sudden everyone is going up there with confidence. Hopefully this is the start of something good.”
Ryan Merritt started and earned the victory. The lefty scattered six hits and gave up just one run in five innings.
The Scrappers and Crosscutters conclude their three-game series tonight. The Scrappers then begin a three-game home series with State College which runs through Thursday.
SCRAPPERS 6, CROSSCUTTERS 2
WilliamsportScrappers
abrhbiabrhbi
L. Gnzlz cf4110Kelly ss5010
Numata c4012Naquin cf4132
Perkins 1b4000Valerio c4012
Srritella dh4010Romero dh4112
Ford 2b4000Bradley lf4010
Olmo lf4000Jones rf4000
Walding 3b3020Er. Gnzlz 3b0100
Pointer rf3120Nilsson 1b2000
Greene ss4010Frazar 1b-3b3100
Garcia 2b3210
Totals34282Totals33686
Williamsport100000100—2
Scrappers230100000—6
E—Ford (1), Gonzalez (2), Pointer (2), Valerio (4), Garcia (3). DP—Scrappers 2. LOB—Williamsport 7, Scrappers 8. 2B—Pointer (2), Naquin (2). HR—Romero (4). SB—L. Gonzalez (1), Er. Gonzalez (2), PB—Numata (2), Valerio (1).
IPHRERBBSO
Williamsport
Musser L, 0-21 1-335541
Gonzalez4 2-351116
Kinder200003
Scrappers
Merritt W, 1-1561113
Lee211013
Homblert100001
Wagoner110001
WP—Gonzalez. Balk—Merritt. Umpires—Home, J.J. Bilinski; Bases, Sam Vogt. T—2:45. A—2,618.