Back-to-back wins for Warren County baseball team
The Pioneers continued their winning ways this week, scoring a 5-1 victory over White County Tuesday night and following it up with a 5-3 win at Lebanon Wednesday.
With the wins, Warren County now stands at 8-8 overall, and 3-2 in District 7-AAA play.
The Pioneers jumped on Lebanon (6-11, 1-4 district) early Wednesday night at Baird Park, but had to hold on as the Blue Devils mounted a late rally.
Lebanon had several opportunities to take command in the game, but couldn’t capitalize, leaving 15 runners stranded on base. The Blue Devils left the bases loaded in four straight innings.
“Our guys battled when they had to, and that’s a sign of growing up a little bit,” head coach Jimmy Walker said. “We gave them a lot of base runners tonight, and you can’t do that with a good hitting team. Lebanon’s struggling a little bit right now at the plate, but we made some quality pitches and our guys made some really good defensive plays when they had to.”
Derek Kennamer led off the game with a triple to center, and scored on a Glenn Rogers sac fly to put WCHS up 1-0.
Jake Mitchell, John Morrison and Nathan Cantrell all reached to load the bases to start the second inning. A single from Scott Dunham drove in Mitchell, and Tyler Herriman drove in Morrison with a fielder’s choice before an error by the LHS shortstop allowed Cantrell to score, giving WCHS a 4-0 lead.
Lebanon countered with a run in the top of the third, but Mitchell tripled in Daniel Owens with one out in the bottom of the inning to give his team a 5-1 margin.
“We were relaxed,” Walker said of his hitters. “The guys were swinging away at the plate, and I thought we could have a quick game the way things started out.”
But Lebanon’s Chris Watson held his ground at the plate, allowing just one Pioneer hit over the final four innings of play. The Blue Devils got to reliever Tommy Jones for a run in the fifth, and scored another in the bottom of the seventh.
Warren County’s defense stepped up when it mattered most, however, as Kennamer made a sliding catch in center field to end the Blue Devil threat.
Mitchell finished 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Dunham, Herriman and Rogers were also credited with RBIs. Kennamer, Matt Brown, Owens, Dunham and Cantrell had the Pioneers’ other hits.
Nicholas Robinson picked up the win, working 3-2/3 innings and giving up just three hits and four walks while fanning three. Colby Jenkins picked up the save, working the final three innings and giving up just one hit and one run while striking out three.
Pioneers 5, Warriors 1
Owens got things started for the Pioneers Tuesday, launching a towering home run to straight-away center to give his team a 2-0 first-inning lead.
Mitchell drove in Zach Pelham with a single in the fourth, and Dunham came through with a two-run triple to right to put the home team on top 5-0.
That would prove to be more than enough offense for pitcher Ryan Vincion, who went the distance in picking up his second win of the year. Vincion allowed just one run, a solo homer from Chris Robinson in the sixth, and gave up four hits while striking out a whopping 11 Warrior batters.
“I felt good out there tonight,” Vincion said. “I was throwing the ball well, and the team was behind me.
“It’s easier to throw the ball when you come up and have a lead to work with.”
Kennamer, Owens, Pelham, Mitchell, Cantrell and Dunham accounted for the Pioneers’ hits, with Kennamer stealing a base and Cantrell swiping two.
Warren County took on Lebanon at home Thursday night, and travels to Crossville this weekend for a two-day wood bat tournament.