Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Having outscored their opponents 20-0 over the past two games, things looked to be turning around for the Warsaw baseball team. Hosting a Northridge team they defeated 11-1 in late April, the Tigers looked to keep things going. However, it was the Raiders that delivered the game’s first punch and the visitors kept their feet on the gas from there, picking up a stunning 14-0 road victory over the orange and black.
Warsaw gave up 13 free passes in the loss (10 walks and three hit batters), and managed just three hits, all singles.
The top of the first inning was a struggle for starter Mark Haynes. After striking out two of the first three hitters he faced, the hurler went on to walk five straight batters, allowing the Raiders to score three runs with only one hit in the inning. The Tigers were unable to match that success in the bottom half, as the home side was retired in order.
The second inning wasn’t much better for Haynes and his defense. The Raiders pounced on him early, leading the inning off with two hits, including an RBI double by Aveary Johnson. After that, the wheels began to fall off. The Raiders ended up tallying four hits in the inning, and Haynes was pulled after hitting a batter with the bases loaded. Freshman Andrew Shaw came in to try and stop the bleeding, but he was put into a tough spot and two more runs would come into score on wild pitches. Before the Tigers had even hit for a second time, they trailed 7-0.
Grady Nelson led off the bottom of the second with a single, which was followed up by a walk to Logan Kim to put the home side in business. With just one out in the inning, both of them were standing in scoring position, but Northridge starter Quinn Knepp ended the rally with three straight punchouts.
Junior Grady Nelson of Warsaw makes contact during his turn at bat for a single in the second inning...Nieter
With a clean slate to work with this time around, Shaw was able to shut the Raider offense down in the top of the third, retiring the side in order after giving up a leadoff walk. Unfortunately for Warsaw, the team was unable to keep that momentum going when the hitters came to the plate, as Knepp went 1-2-3 for the second time in three innings to send things over to the fourth with the lead still 7-0.
It didn’t stay that way for long, as walks drawn by three of the first four batters in the top of the fourth loaded the bases for the visitors once again. This time, they ended up scoring two runs, as Hayden Gorball came around to score on a wild pitch not long before a sacrifice fly by Lucas Eash brought Colt Bollinger home. With the score now 9-0, the Tigers would have to find some answers fast.
They wouldn’t get any in the bottom of the fourth, as the only offense the home side was able to muster was a two-out single by Kim. With the next hitter being retired, Warsaw headed to the fifth still scoreless.
Things only went from bad to worse as Northridge went back to the plate. For the fifth time in four innings, the Raiders were able to load the bases here, and it led to another big inning. The scoring started with an RBI single by Luke Mann and devolved from there. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded once again, Michael Pointon came into the game as a pinch hitter and wasted no time at all making an impact. He swung at the first pitch he saw and crushed one all the way to the center-field wall. All three runners would come around to score, and Pointon himself touched home plate two batters later on an RBI single by Ethan Yoder.
The Tigers put two men on to begin the fifth inning, as Spencer Love singled and AJ Hepler drew a walk. But, as was the case in the second inning, the next three hitters were retired to end the game on an awfully sour note.
Warsaw (7-12, 6-6 Northern Lakes Conference) will look to get back on track in a hurry, as the team will compete in the Fairfield tournament on Saturday.
