Will Lupo added to his growing legacy at Warren County Middle School Monday when the baseball team played host to Coffee County in a day game in front of the student body.
Lupo hit a two-run home run in the first inning to start his great game and finished it with a walk-off single as the Pioneers beat the Red Raiders 5-4 to win their fourth straight game.
Lupo also pitched all seven innings, earning his fourth victory of the season.
It certainly was the most memorable for the eighth-grader. Lupo dominated from the plate and on the mound from start to finish.
After Coffee County plated two runs in the top of the first, coach David Martin pulled his team together and gave a candid speech about winning in front of their big home crowd.
Lupo took the speech to heart as he sent a hanging curveball over the left-field wall in the bottom of the first to tie the game. The ball landed at the feet of several WCMS students who gathered in the outfield to witness what turned out to be Lupo’s big day.
Coffee County scored in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead, but Warren County responded quickly.
Lucas Rogers led off the bottom of the third with a single and would come around to tie the game on an RBI single by Dylan Tubb.
The Pioneers took their first lead in the fourth. Matt Savage began the inning with a single, then moved to third on sacrifices by Reed Garrison and Colby Elkins.
Rogers scored Savage with an RBI single and put the Pioneers ahead 4-3. The score would remain the same until the top of the sixth when Coffee County tied the score once again.
A two-out single through the middle knotted the score at four and set up an exciting finish.
A.D. Majors rallied Warren County in the seventh with a one-out single. After stealing second, Majors waited to see if Tubb would be the hero for the Pioneers. Instead, Tubb drew a walk to put two runners aboard for Lupo.
Standing at the plate with the game in his hands, Lupo ripped a shot down the left-field line that barely stayed fair.
Majors raced around third where coach Martin gave him the signal to go home. Majors scored standing up while the Pioneer dugout cleared as players rushed the field to celebrate.
Lupo finished with two hits and three RBIs. Majors added two hits and scored twice.
Lupo pitched his third complete game, giving up four runs on six hits while striking out two and walking four.
With the victory, Warren County improved to 6-4 this season.
The Pioneers returned to the diamond yesterday for a home game against DeKalb County. Results were unavailable at press time.
Warren County will hit the road tomorrow for a contest against Franklin South Middle School. The game will begin at 5:30 p.m.