Tigers Top Clay Colonials
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Sick since last week, and talking with a sore throat during his post-game interview, Warsaw’s varsity baseball skipper was all smiles after his team beat the visiting Colonials 3-2 on a beautiful spring evening.
One night after opening the season with a 7-0 loss at Crown Point, the Tigers certainly played winning baseball.
They didn’t commit an error in the field, pitched themselves out of a few jams, and at the plate the Tigers outhit Clay 8-4.
Among the eight hits were a solo home run and double by junior Marselo Rodriguez, the first hits of his varsity career, as well as a double by senior Cole Baker.
“It starts with pitching,” said Hepler. “We did a really nice job getting four pitchers in there tonight, and we threw the ball really well and got ourselves out of some jams that potentially could have swung the game the other way.”
With the Tigers leading the game 3-1, Clay senior Keiji Parkhurst led off the top of fourth inning with a walk, followed by a double from classmate Joey Lange.
Clay senior Travis Miller then hit into a sacrifice that scored Parkhurst and trimmed the Tigers’ lead to one run.
Warsaw starting pitcher Zach Witt, who was credited with the win after giving up just two hits in four innings of work, slammed the door on the situation by striking out junior Santos Kramer and retiring junior Colin Greve.
After juniors Justin Kerschner and Kenton Cornell pitched one inning each for the Tigers, giving up one hit each, senior Jonathan Murphy came in and earned the save.
Murphy struck out freshman John Kehoe, got senior Aaron Bond to pop out and got Parkhurst to fly out to leftfield for the final out of the game after sophomore Trenton Stoner drew a walk.
“I told the guys it’s good to win a game like that, because you can’t simulate that in practice,” said Hepler. “That gives us some confidence and gives us a good feeling going into spring break, and that’s what we want. To be able to rest up a bit, and come back after the break and compete again is a good thing, and then we open up the conference. Today was a good day for us.”
Because of the ever-changing Indiana weather, Hepler said the Tigers have only had five outdoor practices.
They won’t play another game until they travel to Tippecanoe Valley on April 15.
“We’ve only had five outdoor practices, I think, and we’ve only been able to be on the field for three of those,” said Hepler. “It’s been too wet, or there was snow ... it’s just been really hard to deal with the elements. So, to be able to say we’re 1-1, and win a tight ballgame, is really good four our confidence. We’re gonna start turning some things around. We had some guys really swing the bat today, and that’s good to see.”
Four players finished with two hits each to account for Warsaw’s eight hits.
Rodriguez led the way with the solo home run and double, while Baker hit a double and single, and senior Tyler LaFollette and junior Sterling Hay hit two singles each.
To go with Lange’s double, the Colonials also got a triple from Bond.
Kramer was charged with the loss after giving up six hits and three runs and walking four in four innings of work.
Greve pitched the final two innings for Clay, giving up two hits and striking out one.
WARSAW 3, SOUTH BEND CLAY 2
SBC 100 100 0 – 2 4 1
War 111 000 X – 3 8 0
Clay – Santos Kramer (L, 4IP, 6H, 3R, 0K, 4BB), Colin Greve (2IP, 2H, 0R, 1K, 0BB)
Warsaw – Zach Witt (W, 4IP, 2H, 2R, 4K, 3BB), Justin Kerschner (1IP, 1H, 0R, 0K, 1BB), Kenton Cornell (1IP, 1H, 0R, 0K, 1BB), Jonathan Murphy (1IP, 0H, 0R, 1K, 1BB)
2B – Joey Lange (SBC), Cole Baker (War), Marselo Rodriguez (War)
3B – Aaron Bond (SBC)
HR – Rodriguez (War)
Record: Warsaw 1-1[[In-content Ad]]
Sick since last week, and talking with a sore throat during his post-game interview, Warsaw’s varsity baseball skipper was all smiles after his team beat the visiting Colonials 3-2 on a beautiful spring evening.
One night after opening the season with a 7-0 loss at Crown Point, the Tigers certainly played winning baseball.
They didn’t commit an error in the field, pitched themselves out of a few jams, and at the plate the Tigers outhit Clay 8-4.
Among the eight hits were a solo home run and double by junior Marselo Rodriguez, the first hits of his varsity career, as well as a double by senior Cole Baker.
“It starts with pitching,” said Hepler. “We did a really nice job getting four pitchers in there tonight, and we threw the ball really well and got ourselves out of some jams that potentially could have swung the game the other way.”
With the Tigers leading the game 3-1, Clay senior Keiji Parkhurst led off the top of fourth inning with a walk, followed by a double from classmate Joey Lange.
Clay senior Travis Miller then hit into a sacrifice that scored Parkhurst and trimmed the Tigers’ lead to one run.
Warsaw starting pitcher Zach Witt, who was credited with the win after giving up just two hits in four innings of work, slammed the door on the situation by striking out junior Santos Kramer and retiring junior Colin Greve.
After juniors Justin Kerschner and Kenton Cornell pitched one inning each for the Tigers, giving up one hit each, senior Jonathan Murphy came in and earned the save.
Murphy struck out freshman John Kehoe, got senior Aaron Bond to pop out and got Parkhurst to fly out to leftfield for the final out of the game after sophomore Trenton Stoner drew a walk.
“I told the guys it’s good to win a game like that, because you can’t simulate that in practice,” said Hepler. “That gives us some confidence and gives us a good feeling going into spring break, and that’s what we want. To be able to rest up a bit, and come back after the break and compete again is a good thing, and then we open up the conference. Today was a good day for us.”
Because of the ever-changing Indiana weather, Hepler said the Tigers have only had five outdoor practices.
They won’t play another game until they travel to Tippecanoe Valley on April 15.
“We’ve only had five outdoor practices, I think, and we’ve only been able to be on the field for three of those,” said Hepler. “It’s been too wet, or there was snow ... it’s just been really hard to deal with the elements. So, to be able to say we’re 1-1, and win a tight ballgame, is really good four our confidence. We’re gonna start turning some things around. We had some guys really swing the bat today, and that’s good to see.”
Four players finished with two hits each to account for Warsaw’s eight hits.
Rodriguez led the way with the solo home run and double, while Baker hit a double and single, and senior Tyler LaFollette and junior Sterling Hay hit two singles each.
To go with Lange’s double, the Colonials also got a triple from Bond.
Kramer was charged with the loss after giving up six hits and three runs and walking four in four innings of work.
Greve pitched the final two innings for Clay, giving up two hits and striking out one.
WARSAW 3, SOUTH BEND CLAY 2
SBC 100 100 0 – 2 4 1
War 111 000 X – 3 8 0
Clay – Santos Kramer (L, 4IP, 6H, 3R, 0K, 4BB), Colin Greve (2IP, 2H, 0R, 1K, 0BB)
Warsaw – Zach Witt (W, 4IP, 2H, 2R, 4K, 3BB), Justin Kerschner (1IP, 1H, 0R, 0K, 1BB), Kenton Cornell (1IP, 1H, 0R, 0K, 1BB), Jonathan Murphy (1IP, 0H, 0R, 1K, 1BB)
2B – Joey Lange (SBC), Cole Baker (War), Marselo Rodriguez (War)
3B – Aaron Bond (SBC)
HR – Rodriguez (War)
Record: Warsaw 1-1[[In-content Ad]]
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