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Morris starts season 4-O with Pirates
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He started with a win on opening day and the season has only gotten better for former Warren County resident Bryan Morris.
After picking up a victory a week ago against Baltimore, Morris is now 4-0 in his third season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The hard throwing right-hander played at Motlow College on his way to the Major Leagues and has settled into his role as a reliable middle reliever in the Pittsburgh bullpen.
“My two-seam fastball is my primary pitch,” said Morris of his fastball, which is regularly clocked between 94 and 97 mph. “I throw a slider with it as my main complementary pitch and I also work in a curve.”
Morris admits much of his success has to do with God-given talent because he says most people aren’t going to throw 97 mph no matter how hard they work. But he says physical and mental preparation play a huge role in the Major Leagues.
“It’s an everyday thing,” said Morris. “Most people don’t realize what it takes to perform at this level. I do a lot of throwing and work on my mechanics and pick-off move. I also do a lot of stretching and shoulder exercises. The drills really aren’t much different than the youth leagues. The infielders take grounders everyday. The outfielders work on reading the ball off the bat.”
Morris, 27, is off to a 4-0 start in 19 appearances as of Memorial Day. He has a 3.20 ERA. Last year, he made 55 appearances and finished with a 5-7 record and 3.46 ERA.
When asked about the toughest batter he has faced, Morris admitted he hasn’t had the opportunity to pitch against every Major Leaguer. But he says St. Louis slugger Matt Holliday has been a difficult out for him.
“Every time I have faced him we have had some good battles and he’s managed to win them,” said Morris. “But I’ve been working on some things and how to approach him and the last time I faced him I got him out.”
When asked about the best player in baseball, Morris picked one of his own teammates, CF Andrew McCutchen, who is batting .309 with 4 HR, 23 RBI and 7 stolen bases.
“I’m one of the many people who think Andrew McCutchen is the best player in baseball,” said Morris. “After that I’d probably have to go with Pedro Alvarez. He has a lot of power and it’s impressive the things he can do with a bat.”
As for the grind of playing a 162-game baseball schedule, Morris said it takes a toll. He said it’s customary for players to have to be at the clubhouse at 2 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game. Warm-ups and batting practice are usually over by around 5:30 p.m.
When asked about the hardest part of his job, Morris said it’s being mentally ready to play even when he might not be called on to take the mound.
“There are always situations in a game where I think it would be a good time for me to enter,” said Morris. “There are situations where I get called to warm up and I think I might be going in and then I have to sit back down. It’s tough because I always want to go in the game, but you never want your pitcher to have to leave in the middle of an inning. That’s usually not a good sign. So that’s the hardest thing, never knowing when I’m going to be used.”
It’s been somewhat of a disappointing year thus far for the 23-27 Pirates, a team many analysts picked to reach the World Series. But Morris has certainly done his part with four of the team’s 23 wins in what appears to be a blossoming pro career.

WCHS baseball, softball compete in weekend tournaments
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One day after a close home win over Cumberland County Thursday night, the Warren County baseball team was back on the road for a weekend tournament slate. Taking part in the Viking Classic, the Pioneers went 2-2 across Friday and Saturday’s contests.

Kicking things off against Huntland at Tullahoma High School Friday evening, Warren County notched its third straight victory with a 4-3 decision over the Hornets.

Sam Robinson had three of the team’s eight hits. Ryder Gilispie followed with two. Tyler Adams, Jerren Harris and Keaton Rowe each added one hit.

Gilispie and Harris were both credited with one RBI each.

Adams, Robinson, Gilispie and Adrian Harris each scored one run.

On the mound, Miguel Garcia pitched four innings, finishing with four strikeouts, two hits, three runs and four walks. Keagan Thompson followed for two innings, striking out two.

In the nightcap, the Pioneers were held scoreless in an 8-0 shutout against the host Wildcats. Robinson had Warren County’s lone hit of the game.

Hayven Jones pitched 1.1 innings, recording one strikeout, four hits, seven runs and two walks. Jerren Harris came on for 2.2 innings, finishing with two hits, one run and four walks.

Back in action for day two of the tournament at Cascade High School, the Pioneers bounced back with a 9-8 win over the host Champions Saturday morning.

The team finished with nine hits, led by Adams and Robinson with two each. Gilispie, Jerren Harris, Adrian Harris, Woogs Bryan and Corban Felton all added one.

Bryan led the team in RBI with four of its eight. Gilispie, Felton, Jerren Harris and Brady Norris each brought in one.

Jaytton Baker went 3.1 innings on the bump, striking out five and coming off with eight hits and five runs. Lealon Arnold followed for 1.2 innings, striking out one and adding two hits and three runs. Gilispie pitched for one inning and recorded two strikeouts and one hit.

Closing out the weekend against Alabama’s Heritage Christian, Warren County came out on the losing end of a 14-6 contest. At the plate, Jerren Harris led the way with two of the team’s eight hits. Adams, Gilispie, Bryan, Felton, Adrian Harris and Evan Snapp all followed with one each.

The Pioneers posted four RBI, with two each for Adams and Snapp.

Snapp had two of the team’s six runs, with one each for Adams, Gilispie, Felton and Jones.

Braden Whinnery pitched 2.2 innings, striking out four and surrendering seven hits, five runs and one walk. Rowe followed for 0.2 innings, adding four hits and five runs. Up next was Keagan Thompson, who went one inning and came off with five hits and four runs. Daylen Holguin wrapped up the day, striking out one and allowing one hit over 0.2 innings.

WCHS softball goes 1-3 through weekend

The Lady Pioneers got their Southern Warrior Classic schedule started with a game against Summertown Friday evening, a matchup in which they fell 10-1.

Warren County finished with six hits, with two each for Ky Damon, Lola Wells and Kaydence Wiser.

Wiser had a home run in the top of the fourth inning for the team’s lone run.

In the circle, Ceilee Gudat pitched 3.1 innings and finished with one strikeout, nine hits, 10 runs and two walks. Kyaira Sharpe followed for the game’s remainder, closing out the last 0.2 innings.

The Lady Pioneers were again bested in their second Friday night game, falling 10-2 to Moline (Ill.).

Wells led the Warren County hitting effort with two of the team’s six. Damon, Callie Roberts, Cortlyn Porter and Ali Young each added one.

Wells and Lily Rains had one run each.

Ruby Denning had one strikeout and gave up eight hits, 10 runs and three walks across all four innings.

The Lady Pioneers had better luck in their Saturday morning opener, flying ahead with an 11-run fifth inning to take down Illinois’s Oswego East 15-9.

Warren County racked up 12 hits over the course of the game, with two each for Rains, Wells, Sharpe, Porter and Addison Smith. This included home runs for both Wells and Smith. Damon and Young both added one hit each.

Smith led the Lady Pioneers in RBI with four of their 15, followed by Sharpe with three. Rains and Wells both had two RBI. Damon, Wiser, Porter and Young all tacked on one.

Sharpe pitched the first four innings and came out with 13 hits, nine runs and two walks. Denning added one hit across one inning.

Warren County was unable to duplicate this in their final game of the weekend later that afternoon, falling 3-2 to Stewarts Creek.

The team notched six hits, with two each for Rains and Porter. Damon and Wiser both added one hit.

Rains had the Lady Pioneers’ lone RBI.

On the rubber, Gudat pitched all five innings, striking out three and finishing the day with five hits, three runs and one walk.