Offense Carries Warsaw Past Wawasee
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Warsaw baseball coach Mike Hepler, though, is waiting for the day his Tigers put it all together and look sharp in all facets of the game.
"We did what we had to do," said Hepler, whose team beat Kosciusko County and Northern Lakes Conference rival Wawasee 10-5 at Tiger Field. "We've been struggling on the mound, struggling to find the strike zone, but when we put it all together we're going to be a formidable opponent."
Warsaw's pitching staff walked a dozen Wawasee batters Wednesday, but the Tigers were able to overcome that and beat the Warriors by pounding out 12 hits, including three home runs and three doubles.
"We've got guys swinging the bat well," said Hepler, whose team improved to 6-8 overall and 5-3 in the NLC with its third win in its last four games. "It was good to have guys step up and get hits like that."
The Tigers led 6-5 after five innings of play, and put the game away with a four-run effort in the bottom of the sixth.
After seniors Eric Smolen and Joey Hickerson reached base with singles, junior Brock Anson brought them home with a two-run double that gave Warsaw some breathing room.
Anson scored a short time later, and Warsaw took a 10-5 lead, when classmate Kyle Morris blasted a two-run homer.
Juniors Brady Ousley and Mitchell Gosnell also hit home runs for the Tigers, while Smolen and junior Austin Moore each had a double.
"(Mitchell) Gosnell has been swinging the bat well lately," said Hepler. "(Brady) Ousley is hitting over .400, Kyle Morris had a big two-run homer, and we got a nice two-run double out of Brock Anson. Guys stepped up and got big hits."
Gosnell's two-run blast gave Warsaw a 5-3 lead in the fourth inning. It was Gosnell's second home run in as many games.
Wawasee tied the game at 5-5 with two runs in the fifth inning, but Ousley's solo shot in the sixth proved to be the game-winner.
"We had a chance to win this game, and just didn't," said Wawasee coach John Blunk, whose team fell to 3-11 overall and 0-6 in the NLC with its seventh-straight loss. "The scoreboard says 10-5, it should have been more like 6-5. We had some mental mistakes, and we just left too many guys on base again."
Wawasee had five hits in the loss, highlighted by a two-run homer by senior Aaron Beer that tied the game at 2-2 in the third and a double by junior Si Shear.
"It's totally mental with us," said Blunk. "We've lost seven in a row, we're 0-6 in the conference. We've got to learn mental toughness. We're in games, we just can't get over the hump. You gotta tip your hat to Warsaw, they always find a way to win when they play us."
While the scoreboard indicated a win for the Tigers, it was also a victory for the Bailey Moore Scholarship Fund.
Moore, 14, died March 3 after a bout with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Moore was an 8th grader at Edgewood Middle School in Warsaw and had assistant coach Nate Howett as a teacher.
At Wednesday's game, there were local businesses that sponsored each inning, as well as those who donated money for things like hits and strikeouts.
Hepler said the team raised nearly $2,500.
"We had a good productive day for that," Hepler said of raising money for the scholarship fund. "I'm thankful for all the sponsors and eveyrone that helped out."
Warsaw is in action again Friday at Goshen, while Wawasee travels to Memorial Friday.
WARSAW 10, WAWASEE 5
Waw 002 120 0 – 5 5 1
War 021 214 X – 10 12 0
Nick Nunez (ND), Austin Franzen (W, 1-0) to Mitchell Gosnell
Cody Thomas (L), Joe Fleagle to Si Shear
2B – Eric Smolen (War), Brock Anson (War), Austin Moore (War), Si Shear (Wawa)
HR – Brady Ousley (War), Gosnell (War), Kyle Morris (War), Aaron Beer (Wawa)
Records: Warsaw 6-8, 5-3 NLC, Wawasee 3-11, 0-6 NLC
JV – Warsaw 3, Wawasee 2
Waw 200 000 0 – 2 8 2
War 001 002 X – 3 5 2
Jason Ferguson (W) to Jared Lemler
Gage Fannin (L) to Jordan Currie
2B – Shay Hepler (War), Gabe Rhodes (Wawa)[[In-content Ad]]
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Warsaw baseball coach Mike Hepler, though, is waiting for the day his Tigers put it all together and look sharp in all facets of the game.
"We did what we had to do," said Hepler, whose team beat Kosciusko County and Northern Lakes Conference rival Wawasee 10-5 at Tiger Field. "We've been struggling on the mound, struggling to find the strike zone, but when we put it all together we're going to be a formidable opponent."
Warsaw's pitching staff walked a dozen Wawasee batters Wednesday, but the Tigers were able to overcome that and beat the Warriors by pounding out 12 hits, including three home runs and three doubles.
"We've got guys swinging the bat well," said Hepler, whose team improved to 6-8 overall and 5-3 in the NLC with its third win in its last four games. "It was good to have guys step up and get hits like that."
The Tigers led 6-5 after five innings of play, and put the game away with a four-run effort in the bottom of the sixth.
After seniors Eric Smolen and Joey Hickerson reached base with singles, junior Brock Anson brought them home with a two-run double that gave Warsaw some breathing room.
Anson scored a short time later, and Warsaw took a 10-5 lead, when classmate Kyle Morris blasted a two-run homer.
Juniors Brady Ousley and Mitchell Gosnell also hit home runs for the Tigers, while Smolen and junior Austin Moore each had a double.
"(Mitchell) Gosnell has been swinging the bat well lately," said Hepler. "(Brady) Ousley is hitting over .400, Kyle Morris had a big two-run homer, and we got a nice two-run double out of Brock Anson. Guys stepped up and got big hits."
Gosnell's two-run blast gave Warsaw a 5-3 lead in the fourth inning. It was Gosnell's second home run in as many games.
Wawasee tied the game at 5-5 with two runs in the fifth inning, but Ousley's solo shot in the sixth proved to be the game-winner.
"We had a chance to win this game, and just didn't," said Wawasee coach John Blunk, whose team fell to 3-11 overall and 0-6 in the NLC with its seventh-straight loss. "The scoreboard says 10-5, it should have been more like 6-5. We had some mental mistakes, and we just left too many guys on base again."
Wawasee had five hits in the loss, highlighted by a two-run homer by senior Aaron Beer that tied the game at 2-2 in the third and a double by junior Si Shear.
"It's totally mental with us," said Blunk. "We've lost seven in a row, we're 0-6 in the conference. We've got to learn mental toughness. We're in games, we just can't get over the hump. You gotta tip your hat to Warsaw, they always find a way to win when they play us."
While the scoreboard indicated a win for the Tigers, it was also a victory for the Bailey Moore Scholarship Fund.
Moore, 14, died March 3 after a bout with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Moore was an 8th grader at Edgewood Middle School in Warsaw and had assistant coach Nate Howett as a teacher.
At Wednesday's game, there were local businesses that sponsored each inning, as well as those who donated money for things like hits and strikeouts.
Hepler said the team raised nearly $2,500.
"We had a good productive day for that," Hepler said of raising money for the scholarship fund. "I'm thankful for all the sponsors and eveyrone that helped out."
Warsaw is in action again Friday at Goshen, while Wawasee travels to Memorial Friday.
WARSAW 10, WAWASEE 5
Waw 002 120 0 – 5 5 1
War 021 214 X – 10 12 0
Nick Nunez (ND), Austin Franzen (W, 1-0) to Mitchell Gosnell
Cody Thomas (L), Joe Fleagle to Si Shear
2B – Eric Smolen (War), Brock Anson (War), Austin Moore (War), Si Shear (Wawa)
HR – Brady Ousley (War), Gosnell (War), Kyle Morris (War), Aaron Beer (Wawa)
Records: Warsaw 6-8, 5-3 NLC, Wawasee 3-11, 0-6 NLC
JV – Warsaw 3, Wawasee 2
Waw 200 000 0 – 2 8 2
War 001 002 X – 3 5 2
Jason Ferguson (W) to Jared Lemler
Gage Fannin (L) to Jordan Currie
2B – Shay Hepler (War), Gabe Rhodes (Wawa)[[In-content Ad]]
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