Defense, Bats Come To Life For Tigers
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
To borrow a slogan used by the Chicago White Sox several years ago, "these kids can play".
The Warsaw Tigers youth movement propelled them to a 5-1 win over Elkhart Central in softball action Friday afternoon at the City-County Athletic Complex.
Freshman pitcher Kelci Martin overcame two first-inning errors with two outs that led to an unearned run and smacked the first homerun of the season for Warsaw to help lead the Tigers.
Central's Kari Bowlby reached on a fielding error by Martin with two outs in the top of the first inning. She eventually scored after Martin walked Steph Sailor, then Jessika Bickel reached on another error.
"This year's team can overcome an error or two. With our pitching situation this year and the fact that we've worked on our hitting and can drive the ball, helps us overcome an error here or there," said Warsaw head coach Scott Freds.
Freds believes this team has poise that belies their ages. Along with Martin, freshmen Heather Shepherd and Tera Clark have provided solid contributions as starters.
Shepherd went 1 for 2 on the day while Tera Clark reached on a bunt to start the game and nearly had extra bases in the third inning, but was thrown out by the right fielder that was in a Central defensive shift.
Sophomore Brit Clark, Tera's sister, had a single and scored a run in a three-run fifth inning for Warsaw.
Most of the night's excitement came in the fourth inning when Martin helped her own cause when she went yard. She drove the ball to deep left-center field when she was down 1-2 in the count to give the Tigers the lead for good at 2-1.
"Kelci is a really shy kid but works really hard on not just pitching but her hitting as well," said Freds.
Martin hit the homer from the eighth spot of Freds' lineup. Senior Karen Sand came off the bench in Warsaw's final at-bat and drove a ball to deep center field that was narrowly caught.
That sort of production from the bottom of the lineup and reserves, combined with solid hitting by leadoff hitter Tera Clark and power from the heart of the order via Brit Clark and Star Gonzalez, makes Warsaw's lineup potentially dangerous.
"We haven't had the same lineup in all three games this year. We've had kids out due to illness, injury and spring break. That's given other kids some valuable experience. To have so many kids who can play will only help us as the season progresses," said Freds.
Senior Ashley Rader scored two runs in two official at-bats while Gonzalez, Kristin Conley and Allison Shepherd rounded out the hitting for the Tigers.
As lively as the bats were, the defense was on point as well. After the two errors in the first inning, Warsaw played flawlessly from the field.
Rader, the Tigers' third basemen, charged hard for two assists on balls that Martin and catcher Gonzalez were slow to get to. Gonzalez allowed just one passed ball with runners on base Friday.
Senior center fielder Rachel Braddock saved extra bases when she coralled a scorcher hit by Sailor and shortstop Brit Clark made a diving snab on a Jessica Watson hit that carried in a swirling wind.
Watson batted .320 for Central head coach Dave Walker last season. She went 1 for 3 on the day in the leadoff spot.
That sort of defense was quite a drastic change from the Tigers' last game against Mishawaka. Warsaw committed six errors against the Cavemen in a 9-5 loss.
Martin pitched a complete game, working seven innings while giving up just two hits and the one unearned run. She struck out nine while walking just one batter and retired 9 out of 10 batters at one point in the second through fourth innings.
The Tigers, 2-1 this year, are next in action today when they travel to DeKalb for a doubleheader with a scheduled start time of 11 a.m.
WARSAW 5, ELKHART CENTRAL 1
Elk. Central
AB R H RBI
Watson 3 0 1 0
Kelly 3 0 0 0
Bowlby 3 1 0 0
Sailor 2 0 0 0
Bickel 3 0 0 0
Lowe 2 0 0 0
Kiser 1 0 0 0
Walker 2 0 1 0
Schlichter 3 0 0 0
Bickel 3 0 0 0
Griffin 2 0 0 0
Totals 27 1 2 0
Warsaw
AB R H RBI
T. Clark 4 0 1 0
Rader 2 2 0 0
B. Clark 3 1 1 0
Gonzalez 3 0 1 0
H. Shepherd 2 0 1 0
A. Shepherd 1 1 1 1
Gasaway 3 0 0 0
Conley 1 0 1 0
Hepler 1 0 0 0
Martin 3 1 1 1
Braddock 2 0 0 0
Sand 1 0 0 0
Totals 26 5 7 2
Elk. Central 100 000 0 - 1 2 3
Warsaw (2-1, 0-0) 001 130 X - 5 7 2
2B - A. Shepherd . HR - Martin.
IP H R ER BB HB SO
Elk. Central
Peak (L) 5 7 5 5 3 0 2
Walker 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Warsaw
Martin (W, 2-1) 7 2 1 0 1 0 9 [[In-content Ad]]
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To borrow a slogan used by the Chicago White Sox several years ago, "these kids can play".
The Warsaw Tigers youth movement propelled them to a 5-1 win over Elkhart Central in softball action Friday afternoon at the City-County Athletic Complex.
Freshman pitcher Kelci Martin overcame two first-inning errors with two outs that led to an unearned run and smacked the first homerun of the season for Warsaw to help lead the Tigers.
Central's Kari Bowlby reached on a fielding error by Martin with two outs in the top of the first inning. She eventually scored after Martin walked Steph Sailor, then Jessika Bickel reached on another error.
"This year's team can overcome an error or two. With our pitching situation this year and the fact that we've worked on our hitting and can drive the ball, helps us overcome an error here or there," said Warsaw head coach Scott Freds.
Freds believes this team has poise that belies their ages. Along with Martin, freshmen Heather Shepherd and Tera Clark have provided solid contributions as starters.
Shepherd went 1 for 2 on the day while Tera Clark reached on a bunt to start the game and nearly had extra bases in the third inning, but was thrown out by the right fielder that was in a Central defensive shift.
Sophomore Brit Clark, Tera's sister, had a single and scored a run in a three-run fifth inning for Warsaw.
Most of the night's excitement came in the fourth inning when Martin helped her own cause when she went yard. She drove the ball to deep left-center field when she was down 1-2 in the count to give the Tigers the lead for good at 2-1.
"Kelci is a really shy kid but works really hard on not just pitching but her hitting as well," said Freds.
Martin hit the homer from the eighth spot of Freds' lineup. Senior Karen Sand came off the bench in Warsaw's final at-bat and drove a ball to deep center field that was narrowly caught.
That sort of production from the bottom of the lineup and reserves, combined with solid hitting by leadoff hitter Tera Clark and power from the heart of the order via Brit Clark and Star Gonzalez, makes Warsaw's lineup potentially dangerous.
"We haven't had the same lineup in all three games this year. We've had kids out due to illness, injury and spring break. That's given other kids some valuable experience. To have so many kids who can play will only help us as the season progresses," said Freds.
Senior Ashley Rader scored two runs in two official at-bats while Gonzalez, Kristin Conley and Allison Shepherd rounded out the hitting for the Tigers.
As lively as the bats were, the defense was on point as well. After the two errors in the first inning, Warsaw played flawlessly from the field.
Rader, the Tigers' third basemen, charged hard for two assists on balls that Martin and catcher Gonzalez were slow to get to. Gonzalez allowed just one passed ball with runners on base Friday.
Senior center fielder Rachel Braddock saved extra bases when she coralled a scorcher hit by Sailor and shortstop Brit Clark made a diving snab on a Jessica Watson hit that carried in a swirling wind.
Watson batted .320 for Central head coach Dave Walker last season. She went 1 for 3 on the day in the leadoff spot.
That sort of defense was quite a drastic change from the Tigers' last game against Mishawaka. Warsaw committed six errors against the Cavemen in a 9-5 loss.
Martin pitched a complete game, working seven innings while giving up just two hits and the one unearned run. She struck out nine while walking just one batter and retired 9 out of 10 batters at one point in the second through fourth innings.
The Tigers, 2-1 this year, are next in action today when they travel to DeKalb for a doubleheader with a scheduled start time of 11 a.m.
WARSAW 5, ELKHART CENTRAL 1
Elk. Central
AB R H RBI
Watson 3 0 1 0
Kelly 3 0 0 0
Bowlby 3 1 0 0
Sailor 2 0 0 0
Bickel 3 0 0 0
Lowe 2 0 0 0
Kiser 1 0 0 0
Walker 2 0 1 0
Schlichter 3 0 0 0
Bickel 3 0 0 0
Griffin 2 0 0 0
Totals 27 1 2 0
Warsaw
AB R H RBI
T. Clark 4 0 1 0
Rader 2 2 0 0
B. Clark 3 1 1 0
Gonzalez 3 0 1 0
H. Shepherd 2 0 1 0
A. Shepherd 1 1 1 1
Gasaway 3 0 0 0
Conley 1 0 1 0
Hepler 1 0 0 0
Martin 3 1 1 1
Braddock 2 0 0 0
Sand 1 0 0 0
Totals 26 5 7 2
Elk. Central 100 000 0 - 1 2 3
Warsaw (2-1, 0-0) 001 130 X - 5 7 2
2B - A. Shepherd . HR - Martin.
IP H R ER BB HB SO
Elk. Central
Peak (L) 5 7 5 5 3 0 2
Walker 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Warsaw
Martin (W, 2-1) 7 2 1 0 1 0 9 [[In-content Ad]]