Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
For the second straight season, the Warsaw baseball team entered sectional play champions of the Northern Lakes Conference, playing some of their best baseball and hopeful to make a long postseason run.
For the second straight season, it was over before it started.
The Tigers started out quickly but the offense stalled over the final six innings, opening the door for Concord to steal a 3-2 win and advance to the semifinals.
Warsaw starter Brandt Martin was the story in the top of the first inning, as he started the game with a three-pitch strikeout before fielding two grounders to retire the side in order. The second was particularly difficult, as he had to reach back and grab a ball in between him and his short stop before rocketing the ball over to first.
It looked as if the Tigers were going to go down in order as well, but a two-out single by Quinton Brock brought Grady Nelson to the plate, and he delivered for his team. The sophomore launched a missile over the left field fence for a two-run home run to put Warsaw in front. The home team on the scoreboard put a few more runners on here, but could not bring any more runs across.
Now working with a lead, Martin looked even better in the top of the second. The righty struck out all three hitters he saw, two of them looking, to send things right back over to his bats. Warsaw was also unable to muster up any offense in the inning, sending things to the third.
His next time on the mound, Martin was able to work around a leadoff walk, retiring the next three hitters to keep his opponents scoreless. Similarly, the first two Tigers to step to the plate in the bottom half of the inning walked, but the team was held in check from there, keeping it a 2-0 game.
After being held hitless for the first three innings, the Minutemen offense woke up in a big way to begin the fourth. Concord had three hits in the inning, two of which were doubles, which was good enough to score three runs and give the visitors the lead. After being in front for nearly the entire game to this point, the Tigers now found themselves trailing.
The Minutemen were able to retain momentum in the bottom half of the inning, working around a two-out error to keep the Warsaw bats at bay as an untimely batter’s interference call ended the inning with Rogan Bailey attempting to steal second. After a big first inning, the home side was hitless since.
Martin remained on the mound to begin the fifth, and responded nicely after surrendering the lead. He struck out two more hitters and was able to work around a single to pitch his fourth scoreless frame of the evening. The Tiger hitters were unable to do much to help him out in the bottom half, going down in order.
With the help of a great catch by Nelson in right, Martin retired the side in order in the top of the sixth, keeping things incredibly close with the number of outs in the game shrinking rapidly. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Hunter Dippon singled to give Warsaw its first hit in five innings. He wouldn’t make it past first as a fly out to center ended the inning and put the home side’s backs against the wall. Just three outs remained to keep the season alive.
Martin ensured that his team would face only a one-run deficit, striking out two more to bring his total to eleven in the game, while pitching a scoreless inning. Now it fell on the shoulders of the hitters, who needed one run to keep the season alive and two to guarantee another game.
A two-out single by Wyatt Stapleton was all the Tigers were able to generate offensively in the final innings, with a groundout to second being the final out to a disappointing exit in the sectional opener.
Warsaw will return next season.
