Warsaw Runs Past Whitko
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
After defending its Tiger Classic title in impressive fashion Saturday with a win over No. 3 (4A) Fort Wayne Snider, Warsaw coach Will Shepherd is looking for one thing and one thing only in this the final week of the regular season. In the midst of the final stages of the best baseball season at WCHS in a decade, Shepherd wants only for his Tigers to take care of business this week.
Step one complete.
In the first of four games this week, Warsaw came ready to play against Whitko Tuesday and beat up on the Wildcats in five innings 12-2 at Tiger Field.
"Right now we are playing with confidence, and we should because we have been playing good baseball the last few weeks," Shepherd said. "What we have done in the past is win two or three in a row and have a lapse mentally, and we won't be ready to play. Tonight we came out ready to play."
Warsaw (18-7) got started early on its 16-hit attack with five runs and five hits in the first inning. With the win, the Tigers avenged a 12-2 loss to Whitko (5-16) a year ago.
"It was just the opposite of last year," Whitko coach Randy Hart said. "They have a veteran squad back, and they are hitting the ball real well. Their defense played extremely well tonight. We had only one strikeout. We put the ball in play, and they made good plays.
"They are a strong ball club," he said. "They have had a successful year. They have played some good teams and beat some good teams."
The dominating performance was a good sign for Warsaw, who had similar big wins earlier this year over Plymouth and Marion in two consecutive games, but came out flat in its next game out and lost to NorthWood.
"We need to go out there and be hungry to win," Shepherd said. "We can't rest on our laurels. Last weekend is over. We celebrated, we enjoyed, we deserved it, and now it is time to get back to work."
Pat Riley got it going for the Tigers offensively. After getting a single and double on the first two pitches he saw from Whitko starter Dustin Patrick, Riley added a big grand slam home run over the left centerfield wall in the third inning to put Warsaw up 10-0. Riley just missed out on the cycle with a flyout in the fourth.
Riley, Craig Thomas and Sam Wihebrink each collected three hits for the Tigers.
On the mound, Adam Grimm ran his record to 5-1 this year with a complete-game three-hitter.
"Adam got us off to a good start defensively by throwing strikes, and all of the sudden we kept it going offensively with two outs," Shepherd said. "We had big hits early. Our kids just said, 'Let's not let these people off the mat'. That is what you have to do when you have someone down.
"When we have a quick pace, we play good baseball," he said. "I have been trying to convince these guys that an uptempo pace favors us."
Warsaw is at Tippecanoe Valley today, while Whitko hosts Wawasee Thursday. [[In-content Ad]]
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After defending its Tiger Classic title in impressive fashion Saturday with a win over No. 3 (4A) Fort Wayne Snider, Warsaw coach Will Shepherd is looking for one thing and one thing only in this the final week of the regular season. In the midst of the final stages of the best baseball season at WCHS in a decade, Shepherd wants only for his Tigers to take care of business this week.
Step one complete.
In the first of four games this week, Warsaw came ready to play against Whitko Tuesday and beat up on the Wildcats in five innings 12-2 at Tiger Field.
"Right now we are playing with confidence, and we should because we have been playing good baseball the last few weeks," Shepherd said. "What we have done in the past is win two or three in a row and have a lapse mentally, and we won't be ready to play. Tonight we came out ready to play."
Warsaw (18-7) got started early on its 16-hit attack with five runs and five hits in the first inning. With the win, the Tigers avenged a 12-2 loss to Whitko (5-16) a year ago.
"It was just the opposite of last year," Whitko coach Randy Hart said. "They have a veteran squad back, and they are hitting the ball real well. Their defense played extremely well tonight. We had only one strikeout. We put the ball in play, and they made good plays.
"They are a strong ball club," he said. "They have had a successful year. They have played some good teams and beat some good teams."
The dominating performance was a good sign for Warsaw, who had similar big wins earlier this year over Plymouth and Marion in two consecutive games, but came out flat in its next game out and lost to NorthWood.
"We need to go out there and be hungry to win," Shepherd said. "We can't rest on our laurels. Last weekend is over. We celebrated, we enjoyed, we deserved it, and now it is time to get back to work."
Pat Riley got it going for the Tigers offensively. After getting a single and double on the first two pitches he saw from Whitko starter Dustin Patrick, Riley added a big grand slam home run over the left centerfield wall in the third inning to put Warsaw up 10-0. Riley just missed out on the cycle with a flyout in the fourth.
Riley, Craig Thomas and Sam Wihebrink each collected three hits for the Tigers.
On the mound, Adam Grimm ran his record to 5-1 this year with a complete-game three-hitter.
"Adam got us off to a good start defensively by throwing strikes, and all of the sudden we kept it going offensively with two outs," Shepherd said. "We had big hits early. Our kids just said, 'Let's not let these people off the mat'. That is what you have to do when you have someone down.
"When we have a quick pace, we play good baseball," he said. "I have been trying to convince these guys that an uptempo pace favors us."
Warsaw is at Tippecanoe Valley today, while Whitko hosts Wawasee Thursday. [[In-content Ad]]