Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - The law of averages had to catch up with Wawasee eventually.
Out of the last six times the Warriors have faced Northern Lakes Conference foe Northridge, four of those outcomes have been decided by a single run. And all four had been won by Northridge.
The Warriors turned those fortunes around by rallying for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 3-2 win over the Raiders Monday.
"It had to go our way," fourth-year Wawasee coach John Blunk said.
The win moves Wawasee's record to .500 at 5-5, and 2-1 in the NLC. Wawasee's lone conference loss was a 4-3 decision to NorthWood Friday.
One inning after wasting two base runners with no outs, Wawasee got singles from Brad Swope and Josh Mitchell got hit by a pitch to put two runners on. But then Jesse Leonard's sacrifice bunt attempt was fielded cleanly by Northridge relief pitcher Joe Butera, who threw to get Swope at third. Rod Holterman's ground-out moved the runners to second and third, but there were two outs.
What Wawasee needed was a big two-out hit. And the Warriors got it when Jody VanLue laced a single down the third-base line to score Mitchell. Pinch runner Ryan Johnson then scored from third when Butera threw the ball away at first trying to pick off VanLue.
"We came up with some hits," Blunk said. "We are doing well."
Wawasee's ace, Holterman, notched his third win of the season by allowing just one earned run and striking out seven batters with no walks.
"They (Northridge) are a good ball club," Blunk said. "I thought we played well. Rod threw another good game. We have been hitting the ball well lately, I just hope it continues. If not for one fly ball on Friday, we would be 3-0 in the conference."
Despite combining for 15 hits between the two teams, Northridge and Wawasee left only seven runners on base. Wawasee erased two Raider baserunners caught stealing and another one was out on the rare "verbal interference."
"We finally threw someone out tonight," Blunk said. "I am happy for (catcher) Rob Burke. People have been running on us right and left. He had a good defensive game. That is what he needs to work on."
Wawasee led 1-0 in the second inning when Leonard singled and took third on Holterman's double over the center fielder's head. Leonard scored on VanLue's fielder's choice ground ball.
Northridge got a single run in the third on singles by Jevon Brenneman and John Artley and an error on Wawasee right fielder Brad Swope when he overran Artley's single, allowing Brenneman to race around from first base. The second Raider run was produced on a Jason Bontrager double and a single from Butera.
Northridge fell to 7-4 overall and 2-2 in the NLC.
Wawasee is 5-5 and 2-1 in the NLC and travels to Plymouth Wednesday.
