Weathering the storm took on a figurative and literal meaning for the Warren County High School baseball team Tuesday at Patrick Ramsey Field against the Cumberland County Jets.
With heavy rain coming down, the Pioneers fell behind 2-0 in the first and saw the Jets rally from a hole with five runs in the third. Warren County held strong though and used a late three-run home run by Jett Urtubees to crush Cumberland County 15-7. The victory was the Pioneers’ fifth in a row in District 6-AAA play, though Warren County would fall in the second part of its series  with the Jets Wednesday 6-4 in Crossville.
There was a worry Warren County, which is now 10-10 overall and 5-4 in district play, wouldn’t see the field Tuesday night. After having its first game of the series rained out Monday and postponed to Wednesday, Tuesday’s contest started with rain pouring down on both teams. Cumberland County didn’t let the bad weather bother it at the plate though as the Jets scored two runs off Pioneer starter Ryan Jennings in the top of the first.
The Pioneers would quickly get back even in the bottom of the first on a bases-loaded single by Chayse Frye and adding another run on an error by the Jets. After a scoreless second inning for Cumberland County, Warren County got the bats going again to take its first lead.
The Pioneers plated four runs in the bottom of the second as walks began to be a big issue for the Jets. Isaac Golden drew a bases-loaded free pass – one of 17 walks the Pioneers would draw – to score a run in the second while Frye added his second RBI hit in as many innings to put the Pioneers ahead 6-2. Frye’s two-run single brought around Park Hilliard and Logan Underhill, who combined to score seven times in the contest.
Jennings ran into trouble in the third inning which allowed the Jets to retake the lead. Four hits and two Pioneer errors helped Cumberland County score five runs and signaled the end of Jennings’ night after he escaped further problems with his sixth strikeout. Jennings allowed seven runs in his three innings of work, though only one was earned. He would earn the win though when Warren County took the lead for good in the bottom of the third.
More free passes pushed the Pioneers ahead when freshman Lucas Rogers drew a bases-loaded walk in the third inning to score Hilliard and make it 8-7. Hilliard would get a chance to add to the lead with his bat in the fourth inning when he drilled a single to push the Pioneers ahead 11-7.
Warren County added another run in the fifth inning before Urtubees put his stamp on the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. The junior right fielder came to bat with two on and hoping to add to the home team’s four-run lead. Urtubees did when he hit his first career home run, a deep shot over the left-field wall that put the Pioneers up 15-7 and gave the home team a run in every inning of Tuesday’s game.
Tristan Smith continued his excellent relief appearance by retiring the Jets in order in the top of the seventh to end the game. Smith pitched four innings of relief and allowed no runs on three hits while striking out six and walking only one.
Hilliard led the offense with three hits while Frye followed with two hits and four RBIs. Urtubees added a single to go along with his three-run blast in the sixth inning.
Warren County couldn’t keep the momentum going though on Wednesday when the two teams made up Monday’s rainout game.
Underhill took his first loss of the year on the hill as he lasted only four innings against the Jets. In Underhill’s final inning, Cumberland County took the lead for good on RBI singles by Ethan Cunningham and Morgan Richards to go ahead 5-2. Richards would finish the game 3-for-3 with three RBIs while also pitching seven innings to earn the victory.
Cumberland County took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning, but the Pioneers tied the game in the top of the third. Reed knotted the game with a run-scoring single, but Warren County never got over the hump.
The Pioneers would close the gap to 6-4 in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Underhill – part of a 4-for-5 night for the Pioneer senior. The score would stay put though as Warren County couldn’t muster more late-game heroics on the road.
Warren County was on the road Thursday night to face Siegel and the score was unavailable at press time. The Pioneers will be back in action Monday when the team starts a home-and-home series with White County at Patrick Ramsey Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.