For Will Shepherd and his Warsaw varsity baseball team, if it could go wrong Monday afternoon while hosting Northern Lakes Conference rival Plymouth, it did.

Things went so bad so fast that when the Tigers made a run it was too late.

Plymouth scored seven runs in the first two innings, holding the Tigers to two runs through the first five innings, en route to a 10-5 win.

The win improves Plymouth's overall record to 13-1 and 6-0 in the NLC. The Tigers fall to 9-7 and 6-2.

"This one stings," Shepherd said. "I thought we would have competed a little more. We're good but we're not elite. They've (Plymouth) got a chance to win the whole enchilada. Anybody who knows baseball knows they could have some big time fun in June."

Plymouth's lone loss on the season came Saturday to sixth-ranked Andrean.

The Pilgrims rocked Tiger southpaw Adam Augustine, getting singles from Charley Craig, who went on to score the game's first run, Zach Scott and Ben Slein to start the game, before Matt Arvesen's two RBI single gave them a 3-0 lead. Dan Caban, batting in the fifth spot, accounted for Plymouth's first out, but Arvesen was able to score on the play. Senior short stop Mark Simanski then hit his sixth round-tripper of the year, before Warsaw was able to retire the side.

Simanski finished the game 3 for 3 at the plate, only needing a triple to complete the cycle, with two runs and two RBIs. Slein finished with a pair of doubles, a home run, two runs and two RBIs.

If Plymouth's bats weren't too much for the Tigers, they had to face senior right-hander John Pettibone. He with the 4-0 record and 0.00 ERA.

"Pettibone just owns us," Shepherd said. "Last year he struck out 10 and beat us 6-0. I told the kids next year they'd get their chance. I'm chomping at the bit here. What 17 or 18-year-old wouldn't want this?"

Pettibone handled the Tigers last night, striking out seven and walking none and improving his record to 5-0. The only hole in Pettibone's game was giving up his first runs of the season.

Augustine picked up the decision on the mound for the Tigers, striking out four, walking two and giving up eight hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.

"Augustine hasn't been that unagressive all year long," Shepherd said. "Even in his losses he's been more aggressive than that. I can't tell you how much I've put in to this. None of the coaches, players or managers have an excuse to take a whipping like that."

Augustine is now 4-4 on the year.

After the first six Tigers were mowed down consecutively, junior left fielder Brooks Stogsdill pounded out a double, followed by an Augustine single to right field. Jon Walmer accounted for Warsaw second out of the third but was able to hit the first Tiger run home.

Warsaw scored again in the fourth after a solo shot to left field by junior Trent Martin brought the score to 7-2.

Down 8-2, Warsaw started off the sixth inning with singles from Walmer and Brandon Grubbs and an RBI double from catcher Steve Siebenmorgen. Two batters later, Martin grounded out but tallied an RBI, making the count 8-4.

"This team hasn't quit, they just didn't compete" Shepherd said. "They'll claw and scratch their way back in it. You just can't spot them five runs in the first inning."

Slein put a stop to any successful Tiger comeback with a two-run blast in the seventh.

"We've played really good baseball the last three weeks," Shepherd said. "But not tonight. There's just no answer." [[In-content Ad]]