Warsaw All-Stars Fall In Extra Innings
Local team to play in tournament semifinals today
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
With the top seed in today’s semifinals on the line, the Warsaw team fell short in group play, losing 6-5 in eight innings to the team from Wabash.
“I hope it’s a wakeup call,” Warsaw coach Jeff Fitzgerald said. “We’ve gone through the last five games giving up two runs. Since the start of the season, we’ve pounded the ball and pounded the ball. We just didn’t do it tonight.”
Back at Wabash High School’s Chris Rood Field today, the team will look to move on to Saturday’s championship game, as they try to win Warsaw’s first little league title since the 11/12 team did it in 2003.
“The motivation for (today) is to just let the disappointment burn in your belly,” Fitzgerald said after the loss, which was after 10:30 p.m. “Let it stir, show up and play to win.”
Wabash jumped out hot, as the first three batters each reached, with one scoring on a double steal.
Warsaw pitcher Blake Foreman was able to get the next three batters out, but one more run did score, putting the team in a 2-0 hole.
After Wabash’s first three batters were retired in the second inning, Warsaw’s Marselo Rodriguez led off the bottom of the frame with a triple.
After a pop out, Bryce Sensibaugh was walked and Cole Baker drove in Rodriguez after the Wabash third baseman attempted to tag Sensibaugh out on his way to third, but missed.
With runners at first and third, Baker attempted to steal second base, but recently inserted Wabash pitcher Jordan Holley picked him off at second, though not without some controversy.
Warsaw coaches claimed Holley balked, as his first move was to third base, before spinning around to throw to second.
After a half-hour debate with the umpires, the tournament director and the region’s central office, as well as many looks into the rule book, the call stood and Warsaw was left with a man at third and two outs.
Rodriguez’s run was the only one to score in the inning, but more could have been plated, including Sensibaugh’s tying one had the balk been called.
“It takes a run off the board,” Fitzgerald said. “I still don’t know the correct ruling on it. There’s all types of questions, but we can’t dwell on a call. A call’s not going to change the ball game. We got the ball game back to a tie, and it was a new game. We just didn’t execute from that point.”
Warsaw didn’t just tie the game, but took the lead in the bottom of the third.
First, Tommy Hickerson scored from second on a two-out error off the bat of Drew Wright, which left him at the base vacated by Hickerson.
Wright then scored on an RBI-double by Rodriguez, giving Warsaw a 3-2 lead, but it was short-lived, as Wabash plated another two in the top of the fourth.
Down 4-3, Warsaw loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but only scored once.
Going back and forth, Wabash got yet another run in the top of the fifth, and its lead lasted until the seventh.
Against the wall, Warsaw once again loaded the bases with one out, which included another Rodriguez double.
With the winning run standing at second, Warsaw had to settle for a tie, as the only run to score was Foreman, who scored on a suicide squeeze off the bat of Sensibaugh.
Going into extra innings, Wabash responded with a run in the top of the eighth, and Warsaw couldn’t respond.
“The kids played hard,” Fitzgerald said. “The biggest factor was, we got down early and you can’t do that in this kind of competition.
“We nibbled back, but Wabash played well,” he added. “They executed the plays they needed to and they hit when they needed to. We pitched well. We did great. We just got down, got flat and couldn’t get back.”
Rodriguez, an incoming Warsaw Community High School freshman, had quite the game for Warsaw, going 3 for 4 with a triple, two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.
Along with Rodriguez, Hickerson, Sensibaugh and Baker each drove in a run.
WABASH 6, WARSAW 5 (8 innings)
Wab 200 210 01 – 6 8 1
War 012 100 10 – 5 6 3
Wabash – Brandin Frazier (1-1/3IP, 1R, 1ER, 1H, 1K, 1BB), Jordan Holley (2, 4-2/3IP, 3R, 1ER, 4H, 3K, 3BB), Jordan Burnsworth (7, 1IP, 1R, 1ER, 1H, 1K, 2BB), Holley (8, W, 2/3IP, 0H, 1K), Noah Wagner (8, 1/3IP, 1K) and Christian Decter.
Warsaw – Blake Foreman (3IP, 2R, 2ER, 2H, 1K, 1BB, 1HB), Marselo Rodriguez (4, 2IP, 3R, 1ER, 3H, 0K, 1BB), Drew Wright (6, L, 3IP, 1R, 1ER, 3H, 0K, 1BB) and Bryce Sensibaugh.
2B – Jordan Burnsworth (Wab), Rodriguez (War) 2.
3B – Trevor Floor (Wab), Rodriguez (War).[[In-content Ad]]
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With the top seed in today’s semifinals on the line, the Warsaw team fell short in group play, losing 6-5 in eight innings to the team from Wabash.
“I hope it’s a wakeup call,” Warsaw coach Jeff Fitzgerald said. “We’ve gone through the last five games giving up two runs. Since the start of the season, we’ve pounded the ball and pounded the ball. We just didn’t do it tonight.”
Back at Wabash High School’s Chris Rood Field today, the team will look to move on to Saturday’s championship game, as they try to win Warsaw’s first little league title since the 11/12 team did it in 2003.
“The motivation for (today) is to just let the disappointment burn in your belly,” Fitzgerald said after the loss, which was after 10:30 p.m. “Let it stir, show up and play to win.”
Wabash jumped out hot, as the first three batters each reached, with one scoring on a double steal.
Warsaw pitcher Blake Foreman was able to get the next three batters out, but one more run did score, putting the team in a 2-0 hole.
After Wabash’s first three batters were retired in the second inning, Warsaw’s Marselo Rodriguez led off the bottom of the frame with a triple.
After a pop out, Bryce Sensibaugh was walked and Cole Baker drove in Rodriguez after the Wabash third baseman attempted to tag Sensibaugh out on his way to third, but missed.
With runners at first and third, Baker attempted to steal second base, but recently inserted Wabash pitcher Jordan Holley picked him off at second, though not without some controversy.
Warsaw coaches claimed Holley balked, as his first move was to third base, before spinning around to throw to second.
After a half-hour debate with the umpires, the tournament director and the region’s central office, as well as many looks into the rule book, the call stood and Warsaw was left with a man at third and two outs.
Rodriguez’s run was the only one to score in the inning, but more could have been plated, including Sensibaugh’s tying one had the balk been called.
“It takes a run off the board,” Fitzgerald said. “I still don’t know the correct ruling on it. There’s all types of questions, but we can’t dwell on a call. A call’s not going to change the ball game. We got the ball game back to a tie, and it was a new game. We just didn’t execute from that point.”
Warsaw didn’t just tie the game, but took the lead in the bottom of the third.
First, Tommy Hickerson scored from second on a two-out error off the bat of Drew Wright, which left him at the base vacated by Hickerson.
Wright then scored on an RBI-double by Rodriguez, giving Warsaw a 3-2 lead, but it was short-lived, as Wabash plated another two in the top of the fourth.
Down 4-3, Warsaw loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but only scored once.
Going back and forth, Wabash got yet another run in the top of the fifth, and its lead lasted until the seventh.
Against the wall, Warsaw once again loaded the bases with one out, which included another Rodriguez double.
With the winning run standing at second, Warsaw had to settle for a tie, as the only run to score was Foreman, who scored on a suicide squeeze off the bat of Sensibaugh.
Going into extra innings, Wabash responded with a run in the top of the eighth, and Warsaw couldn’t respond.
“The kids played hard,” Fitzgerald said. “The biggest factor was, we got down early and you can’t do that in this kind of competition.
“We nibbled back, but Wabash played well,” he added. “They executed the plays they needed to and they hit when they needed to. We pitched well. We did great. We just got down, got flat and couldn’t get back.”
Rodriguez, an incoming Warsaw Community High School freshman, had quite the game for Warsaw, going 3 for 4 with a triple, two doubles, an RBI and a run scored.
Along with Rodriguez, Hickerson, Sensibaugh and Baker each drove in a run.
WABASH 6, WARSAW 5 (8 innings)
Wab 200 210 01 – 6 8 1
War 012 100 10 – 5 6 3
Wabash – Brandin Frazier (1-1/3IP, 1R, 1ER, 1H, 1K, 1BB), Jordan Holley (2, 4-2/3IP, 3R, 1ER, 4H, 3K, 3BB), Jordan Burnsworth (7, 1IP, 1R, 1ER, 1H, 1K, 2BB), Holley (8, W, 2/3IP, 0H, 1K), Noah Wagner (8, 1/3IP, 1K) and Christian Decter.
Warsaw – Blake Foreman (3IP, 2R, 2ER, 2H, 1K, 1BB, 1HB), Marselo Rodriguez (4, 2IP, 3R, 1ER, 3H, 0K, 1BB), Drew Wright (6, L, 3IP, 1R, 1ER, 3H, 0K, 1BB) and Bryce Sensibaugh.
2B – Jordan Burnsworth (Wab), Rodriguez (War) 2.
3B – Trevor Floor (Wab), Rodriguez (War).[[In-content Ad]]
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