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Armwood's ace missing No. 1 fan

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Armwood's Robert Benincasa fires a pitch during the 2nd inning of Armwood's 6-0 win over Bloomingdale earlier this season.

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By ADAM ADKINS

aadkins@tampatrib.com

Published: May 25, 2009

Updated: 05/25/2009 01:52 am

SEFFNER - When Robert Benincasa Jr. takes the mound today for Armwood in its Class 5A state semifinal game against Tallahassee Chiles, the senior right-hander will take a few moments to peer at the surroundings at Port St. Lucie's Tradition Field, hoping to find a sign that lets him know his father, Robert Benincasa Sr., is watching.

Six months ago yesterday, Robert Benincasa Sr. lost his fight with lung cancer at the age of 67. It's a loss that would be tough on any young man, but compounded for Benincasa Jr. because of the special bond he and his father shared with baseball.

"It's hard because he is my No. 1 fan, and right now I don't have a No. 1 fan," Benincasa Jr. said. "I don't feel like there is anyone that will ever support me the way he did, which is hard."

Robert Benincasa Sr. was an accomplished ballplayer himself. A first baseman, he had a scholarship offer to Notre Dame but turned it down to play professionally. He advanced as high as Triple-A, playing with the Rochester Red Wings in the Baltimore Orioles organization, before hanging up his cleats. He passed all that knowledge of the game he loved to his son.

"I know I wouldn't be playing baseball if it wasn't for him," Benincasa Jr. said. "He got me into the game, and taught me everything I know."

And Benincasa Sr. was with his son every step of the way.

"Bobby never missed a practice, much less a game," said Benincasa's mother, Tina Magnani. "He lived and breathed baseball."

That changed in September. Benincasa Sr. fell and suffered a broken rib. He went to the hospital to have it checked out, but the X-ray revealed something much worse.

"They found a mass growing in his lung. That's how they found out. He was healthy before that. We didn't know anything," Benincasa Jr. said. "At that time it was already stage four lung cancer, so there was no turning back."

Benincasa Jr. learned the news two days before his 18th birthday. Less than three months later and three days before Thanksgiving, his father passed. Benincasa Jr. dedicated the 2009 season to his father.

"He just really wants to do his father proud," Magnani said. "That's all he wants to do. He carries his name with a lot of pride."

Benincasa Jr. hasn't disappointed.

The hard-throwing righty has enjoyed a record-breaking senior season, going 12-0 with a 1.26 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 78 innings. His win total is a program single-season record, surpassing the 10 wins by former Hawks standout Mike Pete in 2000. Benincasa's ERA and strikeout total are among the best in Hillsborough County, and his seven complete games this season are a county best. It helped lead to a baseball scholarship to Florida State.

With what he has been through the past few months, though, baseball is the easy part.

"Really nothing compares, just because I know how hard it was and it was such a trying time that really nothing will ever hurt me. I can go out there and let up a million runs and nothing will ever hurt me the same," he said. "In that way, I kind of feel like I have nothing to lose. I feel like I have a lot more drive going forward. I'm confident in myself. I don't feel like there's many teams that can beat me if I'm on my A game, and if I have my A game and my dad is with me, nobody's going to beat me."

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 259-7616.

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