Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
AKRON - Despite his team taking an early four-run lead at Tippecanoe Valley Wednesday afternoon, first-year Wawasee softball coach Cory Schutz wasn't convinced his team was ready to play.
"We didn't come ready to play, we were flat in the beginning," Schutz said.
As flat as Wawasee was, Valley was that excited after the Vikings' 8-7 win, their second of the season.
The Warriors scored two runs in the first when Kathy Likens doubled in two runs and two more in the second when Kim Likens doubled in a pair of teammates.
Against a team that came in with a 1-4 record, Schutz said his team may have thought the game was over when the Warriors picked up the 4-0 lead.
"I think they thought the game was over," Schutz, whose team is now 4-6, said. "They thought they had the win. The games are seven innings for a reason."
First-year Valley coach Brian Barger credited the win to his batters being disciplined.
"We had a lot better discipline at the plate tonight," Barger said. "We knew we could attack the pitcher, and we attacked her. A big key tonight was being disciplined at the plate."
The Vikings scored six runs in the second inning to take a two-run lead. Twelve Viking players batted in the inning, six of them walked.
Right-handed freshman Haley Bird started the game and picked up the loss on the mound for the Warriors. In 1-2/3 innings of work she gave up two hits, six runs, six walks and struck out two.
While the Warrior pitching staff struggled, Barger was quick to give praise to sophomore Season Groninger.
"I was really pleased with Season's pitching performance," Barger said. "With Melinda's (Dye) shoulder injury, Season came through."
Groninger pitched 6 1/3 innings for the Vikings, picking up the win while scattering eight hits, four runs and four walks. Dye pitched the final two outs, giving up one hit and three runs.
The Vikings scored their final run of the game in the third inning, taking an 8-4 lead when senior right fielder Melanie Zehr doubled and stole home.
"Melanie Zehr had a big two-out hit that really helped us," Barger said. "It snowballed from there, and Wawasee kind of struggled."
Wawasee scored three runs in the seventh, cutting the lead to one, when Bird doubled in teammates Allison Coburn, Kim Morgan and Angie Weybright.
Zehr led Valley at the plate, going 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs. Alicia Terpstra, Abby Shafer, Ashley Powell and Groninger each had one hit for the Vikings.
Kim Likens and Jessica Walker had two hits each for Wawasee, while Casey Rinker, Kathy Likens, Stephanie Sorenson, Kim Morgan and Bird each had a hit.
Wawasee (4-6) will host Northern Lakes Conference opponent Elkhart Memorial today, while Valley (2-4) will play a Friday doubleheader at Wabash.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY 8 WAWASEE 7
Wawasee AB R H RBI
Coburn cf 2 2 0 0
Ki. Likens 2b 3 1 2 2
Ka. Likens ss 4 0 1 2
Sorenson c 4 0 1 0
Morgan 3b 3 1 1 0
Walker dh 3 0 2 0
Weybright rf 3 1 0 0
Rinker 1b 3 1 1 0
Bird p 2 1 1 3
Weisser ph 1 0 0 0
Totals 28 7 9 7
Tippecanoe Valley AB R H RBI
Zehr rf 3 2 2 2
Freeman 3b 3 1 0 0
Terpstra dh 2 1 1 0
O'Brien c 3 0 0 0
Shafer lf 3 1 1 0
Gagnon ss 3 0 0 0
Denny 1b 3 0 0 0
Groninger p 1 2 1 0
Powell 2b 2 1 1 0
Totals 23 8 6 2
Wawasee (4-6) 220 000 3 - 7 9 0
T. Valley (2-4) 062 000 x - 8 6 3
2B - Ki. Likens, Ka. Likens, Bird, Zehr. HBP - Coburn, Ki. Likens.
IP H R ER BB SO
Wawasee
Bird, L 1 2/3 2 6 6 6 2
Ki. Likens 4 1/3 4 2 2 3 4
T. Valley
Groninger, W 6 1/3 8 4 4 4 0
Dye 2/3 1 3 3 0 1
