For 20 years as a player, assistant coach and head coach, Will Shepherd has seen the Plymouth Pilgrims baseball team break a team's heart a time or two. The perennial-power Pilgrims always seem to come up with the big hits, the big runs and the outs when they need them and stave off most upset attempts.

Growing up just six miles from Plymouth and then serving as an assistant coach at Warsaw for eight years and the head coach the past three seasons, Shepherd knows firsthand how the Pilgrims can dash an opponent's hopes.

That is why it was so sweet when Shepherd's Tigers turned the tide on Plymouth Monday at Tiger Field.

Plymouth was on the verge of doing its usual number on Warsaw. You know, the old let-a-team-take-a-lead-for-six-innings-tie-it-late-and-win-in-extra-innings game plan. And most of the time it works for the Pilgrims.

But on one glorious afternoon, Warsaw didn't let Plymouth get the job done. After Plymouth took a 4-2 lead in the top of the eighth on a two-run homer by Ben Slein, the Tigers rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-4 stunner from the defending Northern Lakes Conference champs.

With one out, both Joe Stanley and Andy Holst received their second hit-by-pitches of the game to put runners on first and second. After Nick Chaney relieved starter John Pettibone, Jason Barrett delivered a double to score Stanley, and Steve Siebenmorgen singled to plate Holst.

After an intentional walk to Sam Wihebrink loaded the bases, Matt Kloser laid down a perfect bunt that Chaney dove for, but couldn't make a play anywhere as Barrett crossed home plate with the winning run.

"Three kids (Siebenmorgen, Kloser, Barrett) stepped up," Shepherd said. "I think they got tired of looking bad. They weren't scared to make a play. Now we just have to get everybody else up to that level.

"I have confidence in this team," he said. "Physically, they can be a very good team. But emotionally, and when it comes to courage in crunch time, we have to keep rising to that level we are looking for. Maybe tonight was a step in that direction."

The win was especially gratifying for the Tigers after dropping back-to-back tough decisions to Goshen and Fort Wayne Northrop over the weekend. On Friday, the Redskins were one-hit by David Troyer, and on Saturday the Tigers lost what Shepherd called his toughest loss in 11 years with Warsaw as the Bruins scored twice in the seventh inning for the 4-3 win.

But maybe, just maybe, the rally against Plymouth showed Shepherd what he has been looking for in his squad all season. Or maybe it was just a tease? Only time will tell.

"We are scared of getting over the hump," Shepherd said. "Hopefully this was a big step. For us to come back in an extra-inning game after the last two ball games, I hope is, big. I am excited with the kids not caving in and playing smart the final inning. I wish we could climb the hill and stay up there where we belong. I don't know if we will."

Without the rally in the final inning, it was almost an opportunity missed for the Tigers. After leading 2-1 for the first six innings, Warsaw watched as the Pilgrims got a run in the seventh when Craig Lankford and Evan Miller couldn't protect a one-run lead.

It got worse in the eighth when Miller walked Joe Binfet, and then gave up Slein's opposite field shot over the right field fence to give Plymouth the 4-2 margin.

"With two lefties coming up and the way Lankford has been pitching, the percentages say bring the lefty in and get two outs and go home," Shepherd said. "And he comes in and walks a batter. For a sophomore that has been around varsity competition for 1-1/2 years, you can't come in and give up a walk in that situation. Same thing with Evan, the late home run doesn't bother me. The walk before the home run really bothers me."

After Warsaw took a 2-1 lead in the first inning on doubles by Pat Riley and Holst and a sacrifice fly from Craig Thomas, the teams took turns thwarting each other's chances. The main culprit was the double play, which was turned by Plymouth four times and by Warsaw three times.

"They made some key plays," Shepherd said of Plymouth. "I told (assistant coach Mike) Hepler that we couldn't buy a break for a million dollars. We have been looking for breaks, and in the eighth, we made our breaks. We made some good baseball plays."

Warsaw improved its NLC mark to 6-3, while Plymouth dropped to 5-3. Both teams are chasing Goshen, which leads the conference with only one NLC loss.

"We needed this game to stay near the top of the conference race," Shepherd said. "Goshen still has to prove something to other people. They have proved it to us. They still have a lot of proving to do, and so do we. We have to get after some folks and stay in the hunt and maybe get a piece of the pie."

Warsaw (11-6) hosts highly-ranked Marion today. [[In-content Ad]]