Wildcat Baseball Improves To 6-0 With 3-1 Victory At Wawasee
April 12, 2017 at 4:13 p.m.
Wildcat Baseball Improves To 6-0 With 3-1 Victory At Wawasee
By Steve Krah-
The right-hander moved to 3-0 overall with a save by tossing a two-hitter and leading the visiting Wildcats to a 3-1 win against the Warriors.
Bradford faced 26 batters, struck out 13 and walked one on 110 pitches.
“Sometimes it just takes a couple more pitches to get your arm loose,” Bradford said. “I feel I got stronger as the game progressed and that helped us out in the end.”
After watching his team improve to 6-0, Whitko coach Erik Hisner praised Bradford.
“He’s been real strong for us all year,” Hisner said. “He pitched really well last year as a our No. 2 and made all-conference. So we knew we had a good one coming back.”
Hisner said Bradford is now due a long rest break and will likely not pitch again until next Wednesday, with a possible short side session on Saturday.
The Wildcats scored one run in the second inning and two in the fifth against Wawasee.
In the second, Zach Morris walked with the bases loaded to force in Zach Hewitt, who had reach base by walk, with the game’s first run.
In the fifth, Landen Goff drew a lead-off walk and later scored on an infield hit by Austin Hollowell.
Bradford also walked and later scored from third base when he beat the throw to the plate on a pick-off attempt.
“Both teams took advantage of some mistakes,” Hisner said. “We had some good at-bats and they walked us for the first run. We put the ball in play with two outs to get our second run. We ran kind of a special play to get our third run.
“We weren’t driving the ball. It was kind of the old-fashioned way of get ‘em on, get ‘em over and get ‘em in and ride the starting pitcher.”
Wawasee (2-2) tallied one run and left a runner stranded at third base in the fifth.
Blaine Greer opened the frame with a double to center field, stole third base and trotted home on a wild pitch.
Jeremiah Bess walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch but was left there on two straight strikeouts by Bradford.
The Warriors used three pitchers — right-hander Blake Norris (1-1; three runs, seven strikeouts) worked 4 1/3 innings, lefty Cayden Norris faced two batters and righty Carter Woody (five strikeouts) finished up.
Wawasee coach Brent Doty has watched Norris get better and better.
“He’s transitioned very well from last year to this year,” Doty said. “He worked really hard in the fall and the winter, getting on the mound and working on some things with (assistant coach Vince) Rhodes. He’s got it dialed in and he’s been good his first two starts. We have to continue to preach to him to throw strikes and get ahead of hitters.
“He did a phenomenal job of battling against another tough pitcher tonight.”
Doty wants his Warriors to be fired up when they hit the diamond.
“I’ve just got to continue to motivate the guys and get a little more passion and enthusiasm,” Doty said. “That falls back on me. I’ve got to have them ready to go.”
Next up for Whitko is a game at Lakewood Park Christian on Thursday. Wawasee will host Columbia City on Thursday.
WHITKO 3, WAWASEE 1
WH 010 020 0 – 3 4 2
WA 000 010 0 – 1 2 3
Whitko – Drew Bradford (W, 7IP, 1R, 1ER, 2H, 1BB, 13K)
Wawasee – Blake Norris (L, 4.I IP, 3R, 2ER, 1H, 4BB, 7K), Cayden Wegener (0.1 IP, 0R, 0ER, 1H, 0BB, 0K), Carter Woody (2.1 IP, 0R, 0ER, 1H, 0BB, 5K)
2B– Blake Greer (Waw)
Records – Whitko 6-0, Wawasee 2-2.
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The right-hander moved to 3-0 overall with a save by tossing a two-hitter and leading the visiting Wildcats to a 3-1 win against the Warriors.
Bradford faced 26 batters, struck out 13 and walked one on 110 pitches.
“Sometimes it just takes a couple more pitches to get your arm loose,” Bradford said. “I feel I got stronger as the game progressed and that helped us out in the end.”
After watching his team improve to 6-0, Whitko coach Erik Hisner praised Bradford.
“He’s been real strong for us all year,” Hisner said. “He pitched really well last year as a our No. 2 and made all-conference. So we knew we had a good one coming back.”
Hisner said Bradford is now due a long rest break and will likely not pitch again until next Wednesday, with a possible short side session on Saturday.
The Wildcats scored one run in the second inning and two in the fifth against Wawasee.
In the second, Zach Morris walked with the bases loaded to force in Zach Hewitt, who had reach base by walk, with the game’s first run.
In the fifth, Landen Goff drew a lead-off walk and later scored on an infield hit by Austin Hollowell.
Bradford also walked and later scored from third base when he beat the throw to the plate on a pick-off attempt.
“Both teams took advantage of some mistakes,” Hisner said. “We had some good at-bats and they walked us for the first run. We put the ball in play with two outs to get our second run. We ran kind of a special play to get our third run.
“We weren’t driving the ball. It was kind of the old-fashioned way of get ‘em on, get ‘em over and get ‘em in and ride the starting pitcher.”
Wawasee (2-2) tallied one run and left a runner stranded at third base in the fifth.
Blaine Greer opened the frame with a double to center field, stole third base and trotted home on a wild pitch.
Jeremiah Bess walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch but was left there on two straight strikeouts by Bradford.
The Warriors used three pitchers — right-hander Blake Norris (1-1; three runs, seven strikeouts) worked 4 1/3 innings, lefty Cayden Norris faced two batters and righty Carter Woody (five strikeouts) finished up.
Wawasee coach Brent Doty has watched Norris get better and better.
“He’s transitioned very well from last year to this year,” Doty said. “He worked really hard in the fall and the winter, getting on the mound and working on some things with (assistant coach Vince) Rhodes. He’s got it dialed in and he’s been good his first two starts. We have to continue to preach to him to throw strikes and get ahead of hitters.
“He did a phenomenal job of battling against another tough pitcher tonight.”
Doty wants his Warriors to be fired up when they hit the diamond.
“I’ve just got to continue to motivate the guys and get a little more passion and enthusiasm,” Doty said. “That falls back on me. I’ve got to have them ready to go.”
Next up for Whitko is a game at Lakewood Park Christian on Thursday. Wawasee will host Columbia City on Thursday.
WHITKO 3, WAWASEE 1
WH 010 020 0 – 3 4 2
WA 000 010 0 – 1 2 3
Whitko – Drew Bradford (W, 7IP, 1R, 1ER, 2H, 1BB, 13K)
Wawasee – Blake Norris (L, 4.I IP, 3R, 2ER, 1H, 4BB, 7K), Cayden Wegener (0.1 IP, 0R, 0ER, 1H, 0BB, 0K), Carter Woody (2.1 IP, 0R, 0ER, 1H, 0BB, 5K)
2B– Blake Greer (Waw)
Records – Whitko 6-0, Wawasee 2-2.
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