Tigers Fanned By Concord

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.


ELKHART - The third time was anything but a charm for Warsaw Community High School's varsity softball team.

Playing Northern Lakes Conference rival Concord, and facing senior pitcher Courtney Cameron for the third time this season, the Tigers struck out 13 times and fell 4-0 to the Minutemen in the second game of the Elkhart Memorial Sectional Monday.[[In-content Ad]]Cameron, a junior that has been a thorn in the Tigers' side this season, pitched all seven innings and came through with the winning hit when her single scored senior Carli Riester in the home half of the third inning.

Cameron gave up just three hits, and in three starts against the Tigers this season - all victories by the Minutemen - has struck out 34 Warsaw batters.

"I definitely thought we could come back and get them, I didn't think they would beat us three times," said Warsaw coach Tanya Kempton, whose team finished the season with a 13-12 record. "I'm not sure why, but we haven't been able to hit their pitcher. She's not a state championship pitcher, but for whatever reason we haven't been able to hit her."

On April 25, the Tigers and Minutemen squared off in Warsaw, with Concord leaving town with a 1-0 victory. Cameron struck out 16 batters that day and was credited with the win.

The two teams did battle again May 12 in Dunlap, with Concord scoring a 4-2 win. Cameron didn't get a decision on the mound that day, but did start and struck out five Warsaw batters in four innings of work.

"The first time we faced them was on our turf, and she struck out 16," Kempton said of Cameron. "Today, we were gonna try and bunt some, but we got behind, and that would have been hard to try and catch up like that. We got some runners on, we just couldn't get a string of hits together."

Warsaw had just three hits in the game, while Concord finished with seven hits, including a double and triple by Riester.

Heather Shepherd and Kelci Freds had singles for the Tigers, while Tera Clark pounded out a double.

The win improved Concord to 16-10 on the season. The Minutmen will face conference rival Northridge Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Northridge advanced Monday evening by beating sectional favorite Elkhart Memorial 9-0.

The Crimson Chargers, who had already topped the Raiders twice this season and posted a 14-0 record in conference play, were dealt a no-hitter by Northridge's Ashley Hamilton.

Elkhart Central and Goshen will square off in Wednesday's second semifinal game at approximately 7:30 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 p.m.

In Monday's win over the Tigers, Cameron struck out seven of the first eight batters she faced.

The lone Warsaw batter to get a hit in the first five innings was Shepherd, who batted third in the linuep and hit a single in the first inning.

The Tigers' other two hits, Clark's double and Freds' single, came in the sixth inning.

Kaitlin Gruenewald worked six innings on the mound for Warsaw and was saddled with the loss.

She retired the first six batters she faced, but then Riester led off the bottom of the third inning with a triple.

Cameron followed that up with an RBI single that became the game-winning hit.

The Minutemen scored two runs in the third and two more in the fourth en rout to the win.

Monday's loss was the final game in a Tiger uniform for 10 Warsaw seniors, a group that Kempton said will be missed.

"We're losing 10 seniors, and they will definitely be missed," said Kempton. "We lost Kelcy Martin in the middle of the season, and that really changed things. Tera Clark was our leadoff hitter and was batting .511. Heather Shepherd is an outstanding catcher. Allison Reichard and Carlye Snider were very dependable in the outfield. We're definitely going to miss these seniors."

CONCORD 4, WARSAW 0

W 000 000 0 - 0

C 002 200 X - 4

Courtney Cameron (W) and Chelly Gaddert; Kaitlin Gruenewald and Heather Shepherd

2B - Tera Clark (W), Carli Riester (C)

3B - Riester (C)

Records: Warsaw 13-12, Concord 16-10

ELKHART - The third time was anything but a charm for Warsaw Community High School's varsity softball team.

Playing Northern Lakes Conference rival Concord, and facing senior pitcher Courtney Cameron for the third time this season, the Tigers struck out 13 times and fell 4-0 to the Minutemen in the second game of the Elkhart Memorial Sectional Monday.[[In-content Ad]]Cameron, a junior that has been a thorn in the Tigers' side this season, pitched all seven innings and came through with the winning hit when her single scored senior Carli Riester in the home half of the third inning.

Cameron gave up just three hits, and in three starts against the Tigers this season - all victories by the Minutemen - has struck out 34 Warsaw batters.

"I definitely thought we could come back and get them, I didn't think they would beat us three times," said Warsaw coach Tanya Kempton, whose team finished the season with a 13-12 record. "I'm not sure why, but we haven't been able to hit their pitcher. She's not a state championship pitcher, but for whatever reason we haven't been able to hit her."

On April 25, the Tigers and Minutemen squared off in Warsaw, with Concord leaving town with a 1-0 victory. Cameron struck out 16 batters that day and was credited with the win.

The two teams did battle again May 12 in Dunlap, with Concord scoring a 4-2 win. Cameron didn't get a decision on the mound that day, but did start and struck out five Warsaw batters in four innings of work.

"The first time we faced them was on our turf, and she struck out 16," Kempton said of Cameron. "Today, we were gonna try and bunt some, but we got behind, and that would have been hard to try and catch up like that. We got some runners on, we just couldn't get a string of hits together."

Warsaw had just three hits in the game, while Concord finished with seven hits, including a double and triple by Riester.

Heather Shepherd and Kelci Freds had singles for the Tigers, while Tera Clark pounded out a double.

The win improved Concord to 16-10 on the season. The Minutmen will face conference rival Northridge Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Northridge advanced Monday evening by beating sectional favorite Elkhart Memorial 9-0.

The Crimson Chargers, who had already topped the Raiders twice this season and posted a 14-0 record in conference play, were dealt a no-hitter by Northridge's Ashley Hamilton.

Elkhart Central and Goshen will square off in Wednesday's second semifinal game at approximately 7:30 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 p.m.

In Monday's win over the Tigers, Cameron struck out seven of the first eight batters she faced.

The lone Warsaw batter to get a hit in the first five innings was Shepherd, who batted third in the linuep and hit a single in the first inning.

The Tigers' other two hits, Clark's double and Freds' single, came in the sixth inning.

Kaitlin Gruenewald worked six innings on the mound for Warsaw and was saddled with the loss.

She retired the first six batters she faced, but then Riester led off the bottom of the third inning with a triple.

Cameron followed that up with an RBI single that became the game-winning hit.

The Minutemen scored two runs in the third and two more in the fourth en rout to the win.

Monday's loss was the final game in a Tiger uniform for 10 Warsaw seniors, a group that Kempton said will be missed.

"We're losing 10 seniors, and they will definitely be missed," said Kempton. "We lost Kelcy Martin in the middle of the season, and that really changed things. Tera Clark was our leadoff hitter and was batting .511. Heather Shepherd is an outstanding catcher. Allison Reichard and Carlye Snider were very dependable in the outfield. We're definitely going to miss these seniors."

CONCORD 4, WARSAW 0

W 000 000 0 - 0

C 002 200 X - 4

Courtney Cameron (W) and Chelly Gaddert; Kaitlin Gruenewald and Heather Shepherd

2B - Tera Clark (W), Carli Riester (C)

3B - Riester (C)

Records: Warsaw 13-12, Concord 16-10
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