WCHS grabs 7-AAA sweep: Pioneers take two from Sparta
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The Pioneers, who improved to 5-5 in district play, downed the Warriors 6-5 on the road Tuesday, then returned home to take a 9-3 win Wednesday afternoon.
“I’m proud of the way they’re playing,” said WCHS coach Jimmy Walker. “(White County) sent out two quality pitchers, and we came out and swung the bats pretty good.
“We haven’t peaked, because you want to do that at the end of the season. But hopefully we’ll continue playing well and let this momentum carry us as far as it will.”
Joey Haston picked up the complete-game win in Wednesday’s tilt, striking out nine White County batters while allowing four hits and two earned runs. Sparta’s ace, Scotty Rogowski, only lasted four innings, and was pulled after the Pioneers sent 12 batters to the plate and scored six runs.
Trailing 2-1 headed into the fourth, the Pioneers’ Cody Mitchell tripled with one out, but was cut down at the plate on a squeeze attempt. Undaunted, Warren County’s Chase McGee doubled in a run, and Jacob Bratcher scored McGee when he reached on an error.
Derek Kennamer reached with a bunt single, and Matt Brown walked to load the bases for Glenn Rogers, who hit a line single to center field to plate two more runs. Brown scored on a passed ball, and John Morrison singled home Rogers to put WCHS on top 7-2.
The Pioneers added a couple of insurance runs in the sixth, when Rogers singled and Morrison was hit by a pitch. Mitchell brought in both runners with a double to right field.
Kennamer, Brown, Rogers and Mitchell had two hits each, while Morrison added the Pioneers’ other base knock.
Chris Robinson scored all three Warrior runs, and went 2-for-4 with a triple and a seventh-inning solo homer.
Tuesday night, the Pioneers jumped on top 2-0 early against White County’s Doug Clouse, only to have the Warriors come back with four runs in the bottom of the second.
WCHS tied the game with a Kennamer sac fly in the sixth, and a wild throw to try and retire Joshua Bratcher at third on the play allowed him to score and put the Pioneers on top. The Pioneers went up 6-4 by the end of the inning, and although starter Colby Jenkins gave up one run in the sixth, he retired the Warriors in the seventh to preserve the win.
Jenkins worked the full seven innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits. Clouse pitched six innings, giving up 10 hits and all six Pioneer runs.
At the plate, Morrison finished 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Jacob Bratcher was 2-for-3, while McGee and Kennamer also had two hits. Rogers was 1-for-4 with a double.
The Pioneers travel to take on Riverdale Sunday, and play host to the Warriors on Monday to wrap up their district campaign. Monday’s game is set as Senior Night, and all members of the WCHS senior class will be admitted free.