Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Because of the long ball - and three costly errors - Warsaw's varsity baseball team came up short Wednesday afternoon at Tiger Field.
Visiting Northern Lakes Conference opponent Northridge hit four home runs and got a superb pitching effort from senior Jessie Bachman, as the Raiders upended the Tigers 11-0 in five innings.
Warsaw senior starting pitcher Jordan Williams started out strong, striking out the first three Raider batters of the game, but Northridge put three runs on the board in the second inning, as senior Andrew Keim hit a first-pitch, two-run blast that was followed by a first-pitch solo shot from senior Joel Sienicki.
"Jordan Williams started out great," said Warsaw coach Will Shepherd, whose team fell to 3-5 overall and 2-1 in the NLC. "The first inning was as well of an inning we've pitched all year. They came back in the second, and when Jordan elevated the ball, they hurt us. Our three errors really hurt us and we weren't able to get back in the game."
Two errors really cost Warsaw in the fourth inning, the first being an infield pop-fly that was missed, and then an overthrow at first base. The Raiders were able to capitalize on the Tigers' miscues and put five runs on the board in the inning.
"It's no secret what we're going to do tomorrow," said Shepherd. "We're going to come out and throw and work on our defense. We're going to pitch in the bullpens and work on defense."
His team's offensive output in the second inning was all Bachman needed, as the right-handed hurler shut down the Tigers and then hit a two-run homer of his own in the fifth inning to give the Raiders an 11-0 lead.
Bachman pitched all five innings for Northridge, giving up just one hit and one walk, while striking out seven. With his superb performance, Bachman improved his pitching record this season to 5-0.
"He's clearly one of the top pitchers in the NLC and one of the best pitchers in northern Indiana," Shepherd said of Bachman. "He one-hit us. We didn't have any quality at-bats. If not for Mark Sudhoff's hustle, he would have no-hit us."
Sudhoff pounded out Warsaw's only hit of the game in the second inning, legging out an infield grounder.
Northridge pounded out 13 hits in the win, a victory that improved the Raiders' record to 9-2 overall and 4-0 in the NLC.
Alex Smith led Northridge with three hits, while Austin Hofsommer, Ken Grover and Sienicki all had two hits.
Williams lasted 3-2/3 innings for Warsaw and took the loss on the mound, dropping his record to 1-2. He gave up seven runs and struck out five.
Both junior Matt Ransbottom and senior Kyle Conrad pitched two-thirds of an inning for the Tigers. Ransbottom gave up four runs.
The Tigers are in action again Friday, when they host conference foe Concord at 4:45 p.m.
NORTHRIDGE 11, WARSAW 0 (5 innings)
Northridge
AB R H RBI
Bachman 4 1 1 2
Troyer 3 1 0 2
Hofsommer 3 1 2 0
Grover 3 1 2 2
Baker 3 0 1 0
Mast 3 1 1 0
Keim 3 1 1 2
Sienicki 2 3 2 1
Smith 3 2 3 0
Totals 27 11 13 9
Warsaw
AB R H RBI
Mylin 2 0 0 0
Stouder 2 0 0 0
Cox 1 0 0 0
Freds 2 0 0 0
Sudhoff 2 0 1 0
Williams 2 0 0 0
Lancaster 2 0 0 0
Fitzsimmons 1 0 0 0
Brumbaugh 1 0 0 0
Totals 15 0 1 0
Northridge (9-2, 4-0) 030 53 - 11 13 0
Warsaw (#3-5, 2-1) 000 00 - 0 1 0
HR - Bachman, Grover, Keim, Sienicki.
IP H R BB SO
Northridge
Bachman (5-0) 5 1 0 1 7
Warsaw
Williams 3.2 7 7 0 5
Ransbottom 2/3 6 5 0 0
Conrad 2/3 0 0 0 0
