"We want to send an early message to people," said Warsaw baseball coach Will Shepherd. "We will play anybody. And if you're gonna win the NLC title and take home the trophy, you're gonna have to beat us."

The Tigers sent that message loud and clear Wednesday night, pounding No. 4 (3A) Northridge 16-3 in five innings in a Northern Lakes Conference duel.

And Warsaw sent the message early.

After Purdue-bound senior Brandon LaFollette pitched a 1-2-3 first inning, the Tiger offense kicked into gear.

In the bottom of the first, Jeremy Sharp pounded a one-out double to the centerfield fence and advanced to third on a single by Sean Alderfer. Then LaFollette helped his own cause by hitting a long home run over the centerfield fence that put the Tigers up 3-0.

After another 1-2-3 Northridge outing, the Warsaw hitting corps went to work again.

Tyler Stouder opened the bottom of the second with a double to left field, and Jeremy Sharp reached base on a single. Then Alderfer cleared the bases with the second three-run Tiger homer of the night, a shot over the left-field fence that put Warsaw up 6-0 with one out.

LaFollette followed Alderfer's long ball with a single, and Mark Sherman reached base on a walk. With runners on first and second, Tiger freshman Derek Freds sent yet another ball over the left field fence for the third three-run homer run of the night.

But the Tigers were not done.

Hans Griepentrog hit a single, moved to second on a grounder by Jordan Williams and scored on Stouder's second hit of the inning.

Ryan Cox hit a single to put runners on first and second, and another single by Sharp sent Stouder home. Alderfer and LaFollette each hit RBI singles to put Warsaw up 13-0 with two outs and runners on first and second.

Those runners were not on base for long.

Mark Sherman stepped to the plate and gave the ball a ride over the left-field fence, giving Warsaw its fourth three-run homer of the night and a 16-0 advantage going into the top of the third inning.

"We were pretty aggressive at the plate," said Shepherd. "I thought we hit the ball very well. I was very happy with our offense today."

The Tigers held that 16-0 advantage until the top of the fourth inning when Northridge got on the scoreboard.

The Raiders turned four hits into three runs in the top of the fourth inning, but Northridge was unable to overcome Warsaw's lead and fell 16-3 in five innings.

LaFollette pitched four innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs while striking out four batters. Sharp entered in the fifth inning and finished out the game with no hits, runs, walks or strikeouts.

It was the first loss of the season for the Northridge squad, which now falls to 11-1 overall and 4-1 in NLC play.

The win was the eight straight for the Tigers, now 9-2, 3-0 NLC. It was also Warsaw's 20th straight NLC win. The Tigers travel to Dunlap Friday for an NLC matchup with Concord.

"We hop on the bus and head to the land of the Minutemen," said Shepherd. "At that place no one is ever out of it. We will need to be ready to play."

WARSAW 16, NORTHRIDGE 3,

5 innings

Northridge 000 30 - 3 5 2

Warsaw 3(13)0 0X - 16 17 2

Northridge AB R H RBI

Z. Miller ss 3 0 0 0

Cripe 2b 3 1 1 0

Wickersham cf 3 1 1 2

Grover 3b 2 0 1 0

Baker lf 2 0 0 0

Hofsommer dh 2 0 1 1

T. Miller p 0 0 0 0

Kime 2 0 0 0

Rasler rf 1 0 1 0

Sienicki 1 0 0 0

Mast 1b 2 0 0 0

Totals 21 3 5 3

Warsaw AB R H RBI

Cox lf 3 1 1 0

Chapman 1 0 0 0

Sharp 2b 4 3 3 1

Alderfer ss 4 3 3 4

LaFollette p 3 3 3 4

Reneker 0 0 0 0

Sherman cf 2 2 2 3

Freds 3b 3 1 1 3

Griepentrog rf 3 1 2 0

Williams 1b 2 0 0 0

Weaver 1 0 0 0

Stouder c 3 2 2 1

Totals 29 16 17 16

LOB - Northridge 2, Warsaw 2. 2B - Sharp, Stouder. HR -ÊWickersham, Alderfer, LaFollette, Sherman, Freds. SB - Z. Miller, LaFollette, Sherman 2. DP -ÊNorthridge 1, Warsaw 0.

IP R ER H BB K

Northridge

T. Miller, L 1.1 8 8 8 1 1

Hofsommer 2.2 8 8 9 0 1

Warsaw

LaFollette, W 4 3 3 5 0 4

Sharp 1 0 0 0 0 0

WP - T. Miller. [[In-content Ad]]