VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Cleveland Baseball Federation RBI is on a historic run in softball, reaching 10 of the last 11 Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) World Series.
Cleveland outfielder Celine Ortiz, a veteran of the tournament, says the team’s familial bond is why.
“Our team’s a family,” Ortiz said. “Family’s how we get down here. We’re a pack, and it keeps us going.”
They weren’t always that close. When the team convened for tryouts, Ortiz said the vibe was "quiet and awkward." But that quickly changed.
“As we got to really open up to each other, I would say these girls are probably like my sisters, like my best friends now,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz says that connection creates a “hyped-up” energy that opponents can’t match -- until now.
Cleveland fell to Roberto Clemente Jersey City RBI, 3-1, on Sunday in its first game of the tournament, which Ortiz called a wake-up call.
“I really think that boosted our energy,” she added. “It lets us know who’s here, who we’re ready for, the competition.”
Despite the loss, Ortiz and her team stayed positive and in the moment. They took postgame pictures with their opponents, then hung out with them at a Minor League game -- an RBI-scheduled outing.
That’s what Ortiz cherishes most about RBI events: the opportunity to meet new people and learn about their points of view.
For Cleveland outfielder Alexis Dusek, however, it’s taking some time to adjust.
“When I showed up, it was kind of overwhelming,” said Dusek, who’s playing in her first RBI World Series. “There are teams from all over the place, and I’ve never had the opportunity to play teams from all over the country.”
RBI focuses on increasing baseball and softball opportunities in diverse communities, and that notion’s on full display with the wide array of cities represented in the championship tournament, including a team from the Dominican Republic.
“I think it’s amazing,” Ortiz said. “Because, personally, my family’s from Puerto Rico, so seeing teams [from] around that area, it excites you, because they’re just like you. They have the same energy, they have everything the same as you -- they just speak differently.”
“It's just an amazing experience, and I hope that they just continue this on for years and years -- until I’m older, [when] I want to coach and see my girls go through that.”
Yes, Ortiz already has her heart set on coaching after her playing career -- partly because her sister, Elisha, followed the same path. Elisha Ortiz played on Cleveland’s RBI World Series championship team in 2015, inspiring her younger sister.
“That started it all,” Ortiz said. “Once they won, it was like, nothing can stop us. We’re inner-city Cleveland girls that came together and we won a whole World Series against a whole bunch of different teams.”
Ortiz admits her team’s decade of dominance put a target on their backs. But she says the support of their families and the city of Cleveland pushes them through it.
“They’re just standing behind us, and we know that,” Ortiz said. “And we play for them, we play for our city.”
Houston starting hot
Houston Astros RBI, led by starting pitcher Dani Moreno, put on a show in their opening game. They dismantled Cincinnati Reds RBI, 13-0, in a four-inning, run-rule win. Moreno threw a no-hitter, fanning two of the 11 batters she faced. Shortstop Turiya Coleman went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs.
The Astros hope to keep the momentum going on Monday, when they’ll battle Angels RBI and Dominican Republic RBI.