Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Looking to turn the corner after three straight losses over the weekend, the Warsaw baseball team made it two wins in a row on Wednesday with a 20-5 victory on the road at Wawasee. The Tiger bats came alive in the victory, scoring runs in every single inning in what was a dominant showing that was led by a seven-RBI performance by Kael Miller.
Coming off of an impressive offensive performance against Mishawaka the night prior, the Tiger hitters stayed hot to begin this one. Seeing the ball incredibly well, Warsaw belted five hits in the top of the first en route to scoring three runs. Quinton Brock, Jack Bradford and Miller all drove in runs, while Grady Nelson and Spencer Love both scored after a pair of doubles. Outside of a two-out walk, Tiger starter Andrew Shaw ran into no trouble in the bottom half, keeping it a 3-0 game after one.
The second inning was even more successful for the Warsaw bats than the first. After Mason O’Malley was hit by a pitch to begin the inning, Nelson made the Warriors pay two batters later, by unleashing on a ball and sending it over the right field fence for a two-run home run. The visitors weren’t done there, as a pair of walks followed by a sacrifice bunt put two men in scoring position for Miller, who delivered with an opposite-field single to score both of them. After a 1-2-3 inning from Shaw, the Tigers were now cruising and up 7-0 headed to the third.
The rout continued into the third, as the visitors really started to pour it on. At first, Warsaw was scoring its runs a bit more unconventionally, as Nelson grounded to short to bring home Brody Heady, before O’Malley made it home on a wild pitch. Then, the hit parade began once again for the Tigers. Another RBI single by Brock made it 10-0, and another knock by Bradford afterwards eventually led to two more men in scoring position.
Wawasee junior shortstop Kyhan Heisler fields the ball as Warsaw senior Kael Miller reaches second base safely during the first inning...Nieter
This brought up Miller for the third time in the game, already having put together a full day with two hits and three RBIs. However, he clearly wasn’t satisfied and wanted to add on to that total. He did exactly that, barrelling a ball and sending it over the left fielder’s head and to the wall for a two-RBI double. With five runs driven in over the course of three innings, Miller was doing a great job leading the charge of what was now a 12-0 ballgame.
In the bottom of the third, Wawasee was finally able to put a couple of hits on the board. Unfortunately for the home side, they were unable to turn the rally into any runs. Kaule Lucero was responsible for the team’s first knock of the evening, but he was gunned down at second trying to turn it into a double. Everett Guy roped one into right in his second trip to the plate, but Shaw was able to finish the frame off with his fourth punchout of the game.
Even with the contest well out of reach at this point, the Tiger hitters continued to put together good at bats. Two walks began the inning, and it didn’t take long for them to score, as Brock hit a triple for his third knock of the game to drive home his third and fourth run. Not long afterwards, Love brought him home as Brock scored his fourth run of the game. Two more runs crossed in the inning as the lead was extended to 17-0.
Loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the fourth, the Warriors were finally able to break through and put some runs on the board. It started with a two-RBI double from Kyhan Heisler, and that opened things up. He’d eventually score on a groundout by Brady Blaze, who came around to cross home himself on a wild pitch not long after. Wawasee still found itself trailing by double digits, but they were able to get things going a bit with the five-run outburst.
However, Warsaw got four of those runs back in the top of the fifth, including a two-RBI double by Miller to give him his sixth and seventh runs driven in for the contest. Cash Espinosa also picked up an RBI on a groundout, giving the visitors an even 20 runs for the game and extending their advantage as they tried to finish things off in five innings.
That’s exactly what they did. Mason McKibben roped a single into center field with one out, but he served as the lone baserunner of the inning as Alex Hoover shut the door and finished things off to give the Tigers their second win in a row.
Warsaw (5-9, 4-4 Northern Lakes Conference) hosts Goshen on Friday while Wawasee (2-10, 1-7 NLC is at home against Mishawaka.
