Late Inning Rally Falls Just Short As Tigers Lose To Northridge
May 13, 2023 at 12:03 a.m.
Late Inning Rally Falls Just Short As Tigers Lose To Northridge
By Connor McCann-
The first pitch of the game was an eventful one, as Northridge leadoff man Gavin Collins launched the first delivery from Warsaw starter Josh Shapiro off of the left field wall. Collins was held to only a single and Shapiro didn’t take much longer to lock in, retiring the next three hitters, two by strikeout.
The bottom of the first saw the Tigers get their first hit of the game, a single by Kellan Bailey, and not much else. Shapiro worked his way out of more trouble in the top of the second. After allowing the first two Raider hitters to reach base and having them reach second and third with just one out, Shapiro got a massive strikeout for the second out before getting the Northridge nine hitter to harmlessly fly out to left, preserving the scoreless tie.
Hurler Brandt Martin would take the mound to begin the top of the third for Warsaw. For the third straight inning, the Raiders would begin the frame by putting their leadoff man on base. This time, the visitors were not going to be denied runs. Three hits in the inning turned into two Northridge runs, with the Tigers getting out of the inning on a lightning bolt of a throw by Tiger catcher Cohen Heady to throw out a Raider runner attempting to steal second.
Warsaw was able to put a couple of runners on in the bottom half of the inning, but was unable to get any into scoring position. The top of the fourth was a much more successful inning for Martin. The righty mixed up and located his pitches to near perfection, allowing just one hit and striking out two Raiders, both looking. Still hitless since the first inning, it was the Tiger bats’ turn to show some life.
Shapiro would draw a walk in the bottom of the fourth, but that would be about it. In the top of the fifth, the nifty defense from the Tigers would continue, as Martin would make a nice play to turn a 1-6-3 double play to erase yet another leadoff single by the Raiders.
The Warsaw offense began to get going in the bottom half of the inning. The Tigers ripped off four straight singles to begin the inning, but were unable to score due to some sloppy base running. After leading off the frame with a bunt single, Heady was taken off of the base paths after taking too big of a turn rounding second on a base hit from Josh Reihl. Despite the miscue, Warsaw still had bases loaded with just one out, but failed to get on the board after a strikeout by Logan O’Malley and a line out on a rocket hit by Jette Woodward.
With the rain making its highly-anticipated appearance in the top of the sixth inning, the pace of the game slowed to a near halt as pitchers constantly needed to get dirt out of their cleats as well as exchange wet baseballs. The teams played on, however, and Northridge took advantage of the momentum swing in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three more runs over the next two innings to take a 5-0 advantage to the bottom of the seventh.
Warsaw would not go down quietly. After the first two hitters of the inning were retired, the Tigers were able to load the bases thanks to some sloppy Raider pitching. Shapiro was able to take advantage of the RBI situation, driving in two with his second double of the game and getting Warsaw onto the scoreboard. Two more runs would come in on wild pitches, making it a 5-4 contest with runners on first and third for the Tigers. The rally would end there though, as Josh Reihl grounded out to third to end the game.
Warsaw plays its next game Saturday morning at Garrett.
The first pitch of the game was an eventful one, as Northridge leadoff man Gavin Collins launched the first delivery from Warsaw starter Josh Shapiro off of the left field wall. Collins was held to only a single and Shapiro didn’t take much longer to lock in, retiring the next three hitters, two by strikeout.
The bottom of the first saw the Tigers get their first hit of the game, a single by Kellan Bailey, and not much else. Shapiro worked his way out of more trouble in the top of the second. After allowing the first two Raider hitters to reach base and having them reach second and third with just one out, Shapiro got a massive strikeout for the second out before getting the Northridge nine hitter to harmlessly fly out to left, preserving the scoreless tie.
Hurler Brandt Martin would take the mound to begin the top of the third for Warsaw. For the third straight inning, the Raiders would begin the frame by putting their leadoff man on base. This time, the visitors were not going to be denied runs. Three hits in the inning turned into two Northridge runs, with the Tigers getting out of the inning on a lightning bolt of a throw by Tiger catcher Cohen Heady to throw out a Raider runner attempting to steal second.
Warsaw was able to put a couple of runners on in the bottom half of the inning, but was unable to get any into scoring position. The top of the fourth was a much more successful inning for Martin. The righty mixed up and located his pitches to near perfection, allowing just one hit and striking out two Raiders, both looking. Still hitless since the first inning, it was the Tiger bats’ turn to show some life.
Shapiro would draw a walk in the bottom of the fourth, but that would be about it. In the top of the fifth, the nifty defense from the Tigers would continue, as Martin would make a nice play to turn a 1-6-3 double play to erase yet another leadoff single by the Raiders.
The Warsaw offense began to get going in the bottom half of the inning. The Tigers ripped off four straight singles to begin the inning, but were unable to score due to some sloppy base running. After leading off the frame with a bunt single, Heady was taken off of the base paths after taking too big of a turn rounding second on a base hit from Josh Reihl. Despite the miscue, Warsaw still had bases loaded with just one out, but failed to get on the board after a strikeout by Logan O’Malley and a line out on a rocket hit by Jette Woodward.
With the rain making its highly-anticipated appearance in the top of the sixth inning, the pace of the game slowed to a near halt as pitchers constantly needed to get dirt out of their cleats as well as exchange wet baseballs. The teams played on, however, and Northridge took advantage of the momentum swing in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three more runs over the next two innings to take a 5-0 advantage to the bottom of the seventh.
Warsaw would not go down quietly. After the first two hitters of the inning were retired, the Tigers were able to load the bases thanks to some sloppy Raider pitching. Shapiro was able to take advantage of the RBI situation, driving in two with his second double of the game and getting Warsaw onto the scoreboard. Two more runs would come in on wild pitches, making it a 5-4 contest with runners on first and third for the Tigers. The rally would end there though, as Josh Reihl grounded out to third to end the game.
Warsaw plays its next game Saturday morning at Garrett.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092