Head coach Joe Sciscio of the Buxmont Hitmen Black 14U 2026 team has been around the game long enough to know that one loss doesn't define a season.
So even after his team let a seventh-inning lead slip away in a 6-5 loss to Philly Bandits Red on Friday night at Central Bucks South High School, Sciscio's message remained unchanged.
“We want a progression during the season,” said Sciscio, who also serves as the JV head coach at CB South. “Every day we want our players to get better — whether that’s physically, fundamentally, or coming together as a team. They’re doing a good job with all of that.”
The Hitmen gave him plenty of reasons to believe that.
For six innings, Buxmont played clean baseball and appeared headed for a hard-earned victory. Starting pitcher Joey Shire set the tone, tossing four no-hit innings while receiving strong defensive support behind him.
Offensively, the Hitmen capitalized on opportunities and built a 2-0 lead through two innings. They extended the advantage to 4-1 in the sixth when Jaren Rodriguez drove in a run on a groundout and Jack Eggleton followed with an RBI single.
Then the game turned.
The Bandits erupted for five runs in the seventh inning, highlighted by Grayson Wilson's go-ahead three-run double that gave Philly Bandits Red a 5-4 lead. Austin Davies followed with an RBI single to make it 6-4.
Even then, the Hitmen refused to go quietly.
A Conor McCann RBI fielder's choice trimmed the deficit to one run, and Buxmont brought the tying run to third base and the go-ahead run to second before the comeback attempt fell just short.
“They’re gritty and they don’t quit,” Sciscio said. “You saw it here — even when they were down, they kept applying pressure. Those are the characteristics of a good team that’s going to compete.”
Sciscio's steady approach has become one of the program's defining characteristics.
Rather than focusing on wins and losses, he emphasizes player development and creating an environment where athletes can grow both on and off the field.
“I’ve been around for a while, and I’ve taken those lumps where I thought coaching meant being that guy,” Sciscio said. “I just want to be direct and set clear goals for them. Be consistent, be fair. You see the kids enjoy that. They want to be led, they want to compete, they don’t want to be demeaned. There’s a clear line I try not to cross.”
Parents have noticed.
Al Pearce credits Sciscio and his staff for helping his son Joe rediscover his love for baseball after stepping away from the game for several years.
“The staff has brought back his love of the game through their coaching style,” Pearce said. “There’s a lot of direction and encouragement — no yelling, no demeaning the kids. It’s a very uplifting program that keeps them improving.”
That philosophy resonates with players as well.
Shire, who struck out three while also contributing a hit and a walk at the plate, said his focus in his first season with the Hitmen is simple.
“I’m looking to develop as a player and a person, and I want to be ready to play in high school.”
That objective mirrors Sciscio's broader vision for the program as it continues to compete in the growing Philly Select Baseball League.
“The Philly Select League has expanded in the two years I’ve been in it. We have Lower Bucks, we have Montco — it’s great,” Sciscio said. “Andrew Lihotz is doing a great job building this league up, and I’m happy to be here. It’s all about development. We want all of our kids to make their high school teams and be contributors at the high school level.”
Friday's result may have gone into the loss column.
But for a program measured by growth rather than scoreboards, there was still plenty to build on.
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