Warsaw Softball Ends Season With 10-0 Sectional Loss To Columbia City
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
WATERLOO -ÊAfter playing well for the past three weeks, the Warsaw softball team was looking forward to playing in the DeKalb Sectional.
However, the Tigers knew they would face a strong challenge, drawing No. 7 Columbia City in the first round of sectional competition.
In the end, Columbia City improved to 26-1 by defeating the Warsaw squad 10-0 in six innings.
"We got a tough draw," said Warsaw coach Craig Helfrich. "Columbia City is a very good team, but we came out here ready to play."
The Tigers were agressive at the plate early, as Star Gonzalez got a hit in the first inning. With one out, Gonzalez pounded a one-out single to centerfield. She was stranded at first as the next two batters got outs.
After holding Columbia City scoreless and hitless in the bottom of the first, Warsaw's three batters in the second frame each struck out.
The the Eagle bats came to life. The Columbia City squad scored three runs on three hits in the second inning and never looked back.
After singles by Sam Warren and Gonzalez in the top of the third inning, Rebekah Reichard reached first on and error to load the bases with two outs. However, the Tigers were unable to send anyone across the plate and Columbia City retained its 3-0 advantage.
In the top of the third inning, Columbia City's Miranda Ditton stretched a single into a home run on an error. Ditton hit a single up the middle that passed over second base and dribbled away from centerfielder Warren. As Warren chased the ball, Ditton rounded the bases and scored to put Columbia City up 4-0.
The Eagles struck again in the fourth frame, capitalizing on a confusing play that resulted in a walk as well as an error to score three more runs and go up 7-0.
The Eagles scored two runs in the fifth inning to take a 9-0 lead.
After a 1-2-3 top of the sixth by Warsaw, Columbia City went to work once again. A two-out error put an Eagle runner on base, a stolen base moved her to second. A passed ball put Amanda Smith on third, and a single by Angie Roy sent her across the plate to end the game on the 10-run rule.
In all, Columbia City pounded out 12 hits, while Warsaw had three. Two of those three Tiger hits came off the bat of Gonzales, who finished the day 2 for 3. Warsaw's other hit came from Warren, who was injured in her last at-bat of the game when she was hit by a pitch in her hand.
"We think it might be broken," said Helfrich.
The Tigers finish the season at 14-14, while Columbia City improves to 26-1. The Eagles will face Huntington North in the sectional semifinal today at 7 p.m.
"This is not the way we wanted our eight seniors to go out," said Helfrich. "But we got beat by a good team. These girls have nothing to be ashamed of.
"We'll miss our seniors, but we have some young players returning, and we hope to build on this next year."
DEKALB SOFTBALL SECTIONAL
COLUMBIA CITY 10,
WARSAW 0, 6 innings
Warsaw 000 000 - 0 3 4
Col. City 031 321 - 10 12 1
Warsaw AB R H RBI
Warren cf 2 0 1 0
Ogden ph 1 0 0 0
Panula cf 0 0 0 0
Gonzalez c 3 0 2 0
Reichard 1b 3 0 0 0
Himes dh 3 0 0 0
Hepler ss 2 0 0 0
Bause 2b 2 0 0 0
Shepherd lf 2 0 0 0
Trump 3b 2 0 0 0
Hunter p 2 0 0 0
Totals 22 0 3 0
Col. City AB R H RBI
Foster ss 4 1 2 1
Stansell p 4 1 0 0
Ditton cf 4 1 2 2
St. Hoppe 4 1 1 0
Smith 2b 4 1 0 0
Lickey 3b 3 0 1 1
Roy cf 2 3 2 0
Sh. Hoppe rf 3 2 2 0
Krider c 3 0 2 2
Totals 31 10 12 6
LOB - Warsaw 4, Columbia City 5. 2B -ÊLickey. 3B - Ditton. SB -ÊFoster, Sh. Hoppe.
IP R ER H BB SO
Warsaw
Hunter, L 5.2 10 5 12 3 2
Columbia City
Stansell, W 6 0 0 3 0 10
*Two outs when 10th run scored. [[In-content Ad]]
WATERLOO -ÊAfter playing well for the past three weeks, the Warsaw softball team was looking forward to playing in the DeKalb Sectional.
However, the Tigers knew they would face a strong challenge, drawing No. 7 Columbia City in the first round of sectional competition.
In the end, Columbia City improved to 26-1 by defeating the Warsaw squad 10-0 in six innings.
"We got a tough draw," said Warsaw coach Craig Helfrich. "Columbia City is a very good team, but we came out here ready to play."
The Tigers were agressive at the plate early, as Star Gonzalez got a hit in the first inning. With one out, Gonzalez pounded a one-out single to centerfield. She was stranded at first as the next two batters got outs.
After holding Columbia City scoreless and hitless in the bottom of the first, Warsaw's three batters in the second frame each struck out.
The the Eagle bats came to life. The Columbia City squad scored three runs on three hits in the second inning and never looked back.
After singles by Sam Warren and Gonzalez in the top of the third inning, Rebekah Reichard reached first on and error to load the bases with two outs. However, the Tigers were unable to send anyone across the plate and Columbia City retained its 3-0 advantage.
In the top of the third inning, Columbia City's Miranda Ditton stretched a single into a home run on an error. Ditton hit a single up the middle that passed over second base and dribbled away from centerfielder Warren. As Warren chased the ball, Ditton rounded the bases and scored to put Columbia City up 4-0.
The Eagles struck again in the fourth frame, capitalizing on a confusing play that resulted in a walk as well as an error to score three more runs and go up 7-0.
The Eagles scored two runs in the fifth inning to take a 9-0 lead.
After a 1-2-3 top of the sixth by Warsaw, Columbia City went to work once again. A two-out error put an Eagle runner on base, a stolen base moved her to second. A passed ball put Amanda Smith on third, and a single by Angie Roy sent her across the plate to end the game on the 10-run rule.
In all, Columbia City pounded out 12 hits, while Warsaw had three. Two of those three Tiger hits came off the bat of Gonzales, who finished the day 2 for 3. Warsaw's other hit came from Warren, who was injured in her last at-bat of the game when she was hit by a pitch in her hand.
"We think it might be broken," said Helfrich.
The Tigers finish the season at 14-14, while Columbia City improves to 26-1. The Eagles will face Huntington North in the sectional semifinal today at 7 p.m.
"This is not the way we wanted our eight seniors to go out," said Helfrich. "But we got beat by a good team. These girls have nothing to be ashamed of.
"We'll miss our seniors, but we have some young players returning, and we hope to build on this next year."
DEKALB SOFTBALL SECTIONAL
COLUMBIA CITY 10,
WARSAW 0, 6 innings
Warsaw 000 000 - 0 3 4
Col. City 031 321 - 10 12 1
Warsaw AB R H RBI
Warren cf 2 0 1 0
Ogden ph 1 0 0 0
Panula cf 0 0 0 0
Gonzalez c 3 0 2 0
Reichard 1b 3 0 0 0
Himes dh 3 0 0 0
Hepler ss 2 0 0 0
Bause 2b 2 0 0 0
Shepherd lf 2 0 0 0
Trump 3b 2 0 0 0
Hunter p 2 0 0 0
Totals 22 0 3 0
Col. City AB R H RBI
Foster ss 4 1 2 1
Stansell p 4 1 0 0
Ditton cf 4 1 2 2
St. Hoppe 4 1 1 0
Smith 2b 4 1 0 0
Lickey 3b 3 0 1 1
Roy cf 2 3 2 0
Sh. Hoppe rf 3 2 2 0
Krider c 3 0 2 2
Totals 31 10 12 6
LOB - Warsaw 4, Columbia City 5. 2B -ÊLickey. 3B - Ditton. SB -ÊFoster, Sh. Hoppe.
IP R ER H BB SO
Warsaw
Hunter, L 5.2 10 5 12 3 2
Columbia City
Stansell, W 6 0 0 3 0 10
*Two outs when 10th run scored. [[In-content Ad]]