WCHS goes flat at Dr Pepper Classic
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After winning two games on Thursday, topping Shelbyville and Cumberland County, Warren County fell on Friday and Saturday to Coffee County and Tullahoma, respectively.
“I’m not really pleased with how we played,” head coach Jimmy Walker said after Saturday’s game. “I really thought we could’ve won (Saturday), but that’s just baseball I guess.
“That doesn’t mean we’re going to quit. We’re going to go right back to work, and keep working on execution as we get ready for next week.”
The Pioneers opened the three-day Classic with a pitchers’ duel, as Landon Boren helped lead them to a 2-1 win over Shelbyville.
The Pioneers broke Thursday’s scoreless tie with two runs in the fourth. John Morrison and Joey Haston were hit by pitches in back-to-back at-bats to start the inning, and moved to second and third on a Tyler Herriman bunt. Jacob Bratcher drove in Morrison with a sac fly to center field, and Zach Minton singled in Haston to put WCHS on top 2-0.
Boren pitched five innings, allowing three hits, four walks and striking out two. Jenkins worked the final two innings, giving up an unearned run in the seventh.
At the plate, Haston had a pair of singles, while Minton, Joshua Bratcher and Glenn Rogers came away with a hit apiece.
Offense proved easier to come by in Thursday’s second game, as the Pioneers struck for five runs in the third on the way to a 7-3 win over Cumberland County.
Todd Gilley picked up the win on the mound, pitching five innings and surrendering three runs on five hits. He walked three batters, hit one and struck out six. Jared Qualls pitched the final two innings, earning a save while giving up three hits and fanning two Jet batters.
Dylan Stephens and Tony Grissom reached base to start the WCHS third, and Derek Kennamer singled to center field to plate Stephens. Pinch-runner Steven Ehrhardt, Kennamer, John Morrison and Cody Mitchell also scored in the inning, putting WCHS up 5-0.
Cumberland County hit four straight singles and plated three runs in the fifth, cutting the Pioneer lead to 6-3, but Mitchell drove in Joshua Bratcher in the bottom of the sixth for the final margin of victory.
Kennamer, Joshua Bratcher, Morrison, Mitchell, Rogers, Herriman and Stephens all had hits in the win.
Friday afternoon, Coffee County’s J.J. Webster rolled to a win on the mound, working a complete-game two-hitter.
Tyler Herriman broke up Webster’s no-hit bid in the fourth, doubling to center field to drive in Minton — who had walked — with what would prove to be Warren County’s only run. Herriman struck again in the seventh, singling to center field.
The Red Raiders got the job done at the plate, as well, scoring one run in the second, three in the third and four in the fourth before plating two insurance runs in the fifth.
Josh Paz took the loss for the Pioneers, who committed five errors on the day. Paz pitched 3-1/3 innings, giving up six runs (five earned) and five hits while walking four and fanning two. Coty Grissom pitched 2/3 innings of relief, and Thomas Mullins came on in the fifth to finish the game.
Saturday morning saw another low-scoring affair, as Tullahoma plated two runs in the first on its way to a 4-2 win.
Warren County scored in the second to cut into the Wildcats lead, with Haston hitting a leadoff double and coming in on a wild pitch.
Another Tullahoma run in the top of the third made it a 3-1 ballgame, but WCHS answered in the bottom of the inning when Matt Brown drew a leadoff walk and scored on Joshua Bratcher’s sac fly to center.
Tullahoma got to starter Colby Jenkins for a run in the seventh, when leadoff batter Joe Spence singled and scored on a Scott Miller sacrifice fly.
Jenkins went the distance, giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits. He hit two batters and struck out two. Tullahoma’s Rob Curlee gave up three hits and fanned two Pioneers in the win.
Warren County returns to action Tuesday on the road at Blackman.