Lady Tigers Full Of Fight Despite Weekend Guests’ Deluge
May 7, 2023 at 8:33 p.m.
Lady Tigers Full Of Fight Despite Weekend Guests’ Deluge
By Chip Davenport-
Warsaw head coach Sam Tew has maintained the team’s high energy level throughout the season while she rebuilds a program who – two seasons ago – tied for second in the Northern Lakes Conference (NLC).
Media who have spoken on- and off-record with Tew this season about her team’s unsinkable energy have asked her what her secret sauce is.
Tew, the Lady Tiger’s first-year skipper, enthusiastically explains a program-building process set in place for her players to follow and to trust. She is very quick to remind her on- and off-record audiences, however, the energy her athletes exude is entirely organic.
Veterans like seniors Lauren Eastwood, Taylor Myers, Aubrey Sparks, Milana Whitaker and junior Kali Ousley have seen the extremes of successful and disappointing won-loss records since the 2021 season. However, instead of being jaded and grizzled, these athletes are vocal leaders on the field and in the dugout.
The seniors will move on, but they will likely check back next season to see what nuggets of wisdom, and never-say-day attitude their heirs-apparent will apply in 2024.
The program, rewound to the present season, faced two opponents this weekend who vanquished the Tigers on the scoreboard with solid extra-base hitting, but the opposition did not take away an ounce of Warsaw’s drive and spirit.
The Goshen RedHawks, who no-hit the Tigers 10-0 with Tyra Marcum on the mound in their April clash, moved Marcum to left field in the Friday fray. Marcum, already with two home runs on her stat sheet helping her no-hit cause, launched three home runs Friday evening, driving in eight teammates.
Goshen, however, was unable to put away Warsaw in five innings this time despite the 10-run final victory margin.
The Tigers batted through their order in the bottom of the fourth inning with a six-run rally to close the RedHawks’ lead to 9-6. The guests then responded with a seven-run fifth inning deluge. The Tigers would “not go gent(ly) into that good night”, scoring an additional run in the bottom of the fifth inning, and finishing with three additional runs in their final at-bat in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Offensive leaders for the Lady Tigers included Ousley (2 for 4 at the plate, double, 2 RBI), Jade Walters (2-5, 3B, team-leading 3 RBI), Addi Williams (2-4), Myers (2-4), and siblings Lauren and Addison Eastwood (1 hit, 1 RBI each).
The Lady Tigers hosted the Rochester Zebras Saturday morning, and the guests’ bats awakened in the top of the third inning, where Warsaw finished the beginning two full innings on top, 1-0.
Rochester used 24 batters in the top of the third inning to score a ballistic 19 runs at the Tiger Softball Complex enroute to a 24-5 victory.
The explosive third stanza, when set aside from the rest of the box score, left the two teams with a 5-5 tie otherwise with the Tigers scoring three runs in the fourth inning followed by an additional run in the fifth and final inning.
Ousley (1-1, RBI), Nekianna Hamilton (1-2), Myers (1-1, 2B, RBI), and Walters (1-2, RBI) produced the host’s four hits in Saturday’s offensive output. Ousley and Myers each added a stolen base.
Warsaw (2-13 overall, 2-6 NLC), weather permitting, returns to NLC action this afternoon hosting Plymouth. First pitch is 5:30 p.m.
Warsaw head coach Sam Tew has maintained the team’s high energy level throughout the season while she rebuilds a program who – two seasons ago – tied for second in the Northern Lakes Conference (NLC).
Media who have spoken on- and off-record with Tew this season about her team’s unsinkable energy have asked her what her secret sauce is.
Tew, the Lady Tiger’s first-year skipper, enthusiastically explains a program-building process set in place for her players to follow and to trust. She is very quick to remind her on- and off-record audiences, however, the energy her athletes exude is entirely organic.
Veterans like seniors Lauren Eastwood, Taylor Myers, Aubrey Sparks, Milana Whitaker and junior Kali Ousley have seen the extremes of successful and disappointing won-loss records since the 2021 season. However, instead of being jaded and grizzled, these athletes are vocal leaders on the field and in the dugout.
The seniors will move on, but they will likely check back next season to see what nuggets of wisdom, and never-say-day attitude their heirs-apparent will apply in 2024.
The program, rewound to the present season, faced two opponents this weekend who vanquished the Tigers on the scoreboard with solid extra-base hitting, but the opposition did not take away an ounce of Warsaw’s drive and spirit.
The Goshen RedHawks, who no-hit the Tigers 10-0 with Tyra Marcum on the mound in their April clash, moved Marcum to left field in the Friday fray. Marcum, already with two home runs on her stat sheet helping her no-hit cause, launched three home runs Friday evening, driving in eight teammates.
Goshen, however, was unable to put away Warsaw in five innings this time despite the 10-run final victory margin.
The Tigers batted through their order in the bottom of the fourth inning with a six-run rally to close the RedHawks’ lead to 9-6. The guests then responded with a seven-run fifth inning deluge. The Tigers would “not go gent(ly) into that good night”, scoring an additional run in the bottom of the fifth inning, and finishing with three additional runs in their final at-bat in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Offensive leaders for the Lady Tigers included Ousley (2 for 4 at the plate, double, 2 RBI), Jade Walters (2-5, 3B, team-leading 3 RBI), Addi Williams (2-4), Myers (2-4), and siblings Lauren and Addison Eastwood (1 hit, 1 RBI each).
The Lady Tigers hosted the Rochester Zebras Saturday morning, and the guests’ bats awakened in the top of the third inning, where Warsaw finished the beginning two full innings on top, 1-0.
Rochester used 24 batters in the top of the third inning to score a ballistic 19 runs at the Tiger Softball Complex enroute to a 24-5 victory.
The explosive third stanza, when set aside from the rest of the box score, left the two teams with a 5-5 tie otherwise with the Tigers scoring three runs in the fourth inning followed by an additional run in the fifth and final inning.
Ousley (1-1, RBI), Nekianna Hamilton (1-2), Myers (1-1, 2B, RBI), and Walters (1-2, RBI) produced the host’s four hits in Saturday’s offensive output. Ousley and Myers each added a stolen base.
Warsaw (2-13 overall, 2-6 NLC), weather permitting, returns to NLC action this afternoon hosting Plymouth. First pitch is 5:30 p.m.
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