SYRACUSE - In a Northern Lakes Conference baseball game at rival Wawasee Wednesday afternoon, Warsaw Community High School senior James Miglin got the win on the mound and at the plate.
With his team trailing 1-0, Miglin, who was locked in a pitcher's duel with Wawasee senior Jake Sommers, hit a two-run homer over the leftfield fence in the top of the fifth inning as the visiting Tigers left Syracuse with a 2-1 win."I tell people all the time, James Miglin is a special player," said Warsaw coach Mike Helper. "We were fortunate that James Miglin came up and got that home run. That was a big home run for him and the team."
Miglin's performance on the mound and the plate, as well as junior Joey Hickerson's effort on the mound over the final two innings, helped the Tigers improve to 7-7 overall and 5-3 in the NLC.
The Tigers started the season 6-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play.
Tuesday's win over the Warriors snapped Warsaw's six-game losing streak.
"It felt like 600," Hepler said of the Tigers' recent losing streak. "It feels great to get back on track. I hope this gives us some momentum and we can get on a roll again."
On the mound, Miglin worked five innings, giving up five hits, two walks and one run while striking out four.
Hickerson worked the sixth and seventh innings for the Tigers, giving up just one hit while while three and striking out two.
"For Joey Hickerson to come on and do what he did, that was big," said Helper.
Aaron Christenberry and Miglin had two hits each for the Tigers. Josh Witt and Stephen Straits hit doubles for Warsaw.
The host Warriors plated their only run in the first inning, when senior Keegan Beer hit an RBI-single that scored Sommers.
Wawasee certainly had chances the rest of the way, but just couldn't capitalize against the Tigers.
Such has been the case this season for coach John Blunk's team, which fell to 7-9 overall and 2-6 in NLC play.
Wawasee's last four conference games have been decided by one run, with the Warriors losing three of those games.
"We had our chances," said Blunk. "One swing of the bat was the whole game. I thought we played well, we just didn't capitalize on some chances. We were right there with them."
After Hickerson struck out Sommers to start the bottom of the seventh, Wawasee junior Cody Blunk drew a walk and then stole second base. Beer then drew a walk, putting Warrior runners at first and second.
And that's when Miglin, who spent the final two innings of the game playing catcher, came up with another big play, as he gunned down Blunk when he tried to steal third.
Hickerson then struck out Josh Dingeldein for the final out of the game.
"We've been close for the past couple weeks," said John Blunk. "We lost 6-5 to Plymouth. We lost 5-4 to Goshen. You look at our last four conference games, they've all been 1-run games. We gotta find a way to win these games."
Sommers, who pitched five innings for the Warriors, was credited with the loss on the mound. Phil Fleagle pitched the final two innings for Wawasee.
Sommers led Wawasee at the plate with two singles, while Dingeldein hit a double for the Warriors' only extra-base hit.
The Tigers are in action again Friday when they host conference foe Goshen. Warsaw will pass out donation buckets at the game Friday to help Eisenhower Elementary student Austin McCleary, who has leukemia.
Wawasee will host Elkhart Memorial Friday and Fort Wayne Concordia Saturday.
WARSAW 2, WAWASEE 1
War 000 020 0 - 2 7 3
Waw 100 000 0 - 1 6 1
James Miglin (W, 2-2), Joey Hickerson (6th) and Taylor Franzen, Miglin; Jake Sommers, Phil Fleagle (6th) and Si Shear
2B - Josh Witt (War), Josh Dingeldein (Waw). 3B - Stephen Straits (War). HR - James Miglin (War).
