Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - The Wawasee baseball team has gone way beyond its expectations in the Northern Lakes Conference this year.
The Warriors, at best, were hoping to be .500 in the dozen NLC regular season games. After a 2-1 win over Goshen Monday, and with one conference game left, the Warriors are 8-3 in the league, good for a top three position right with Plymouth and Northridge.
"We were hoping to be competitive in the conference," Wawasee coach John Blunk said. "We were also planning on being 9-3 outside of the conference.
"Whatever Plymouth does or whatever Northridge does, we can't do anything about that, we don't play them anymore," he said. "We split with them and all we can do is go to Concord and be 9-3 and have the best record we have ever had in the conference. We are having a great conference year, we have to learn to win outside of the conference, and that is where the sectional is at."
Wawasee is 3-6 outside of the NLC.
The surprise team in the conference, Wawasee is getting it done on the arms of its ace, Rod Holterman, and No. 2 guy, Josh Mitchell.
The everyday shortstop, Mitchell didn't exactly overpower the Redskins on Monday, but he used his breaking ball effectively and was able to pitch out of jams when he had to. Goshen's David Troyer was the dominant pitcher in terms of numbers, but Wawasee's Mitchell was able to outpitch him by getting out of trouble.
Troyer surrendered only two singles to Brad Swope, while striking out 10 Warrior batters. Mitchell, on the other hand, gave up eight hits and struck out only three.
Twice Mitchell gave up two hits in an inning and came out without being scored upon. He got great defensive support - batterymate Rob Burke threw out two baserunners in key situations; and Mitchell was able to just bear down when he needed to.
"This game was a mental game for him because last year in the seventh inning he gave up a home run, we made an error, and he gave up a two-run shot and we lost 6-5 when he was up 5-3," Blunk said.
Blunk rates Troyer one of the three best pitchers in the conference, along with Plymouth's Mike Layman and his own Rod Holterman. A lack of offensive support seems to be a theme of Troyer's with only a 4-5 record this year.
"We are just not pulling the trigger," Blunk said of Wawasee's lack of offense. "Troyer is one of the best pitchers in the conference. When David is on the mound, Goshen is tough.
"After getting hurt, Swope comes back and gets two hits," he said of Swope. "He is hitting the ball, and right now, he is the only one hitting the ball."
Wawasee got on the board in the second inning when Jesse Leonard walked, then moved around to third on a fielder's choice by Rod Holterman and a stolen base. Leonard then scored when sophomore Tony May laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt.
Run No. 2 came in the fourth when Brad Swope doubled to lead off the inning. Pinch runner Ryan Johnson moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder's choice by Leonard.
Goshen got its lone run in the sixth without the benefit of a hit. Kevin Miller was hit by a pitch, stole second and went to third on a ground out by Todd Gingerich. Miller came home on a wild pitch.
Wawasee (10-9, 8-3) is at Concord Wednesday.
