Needing a win in the worst way, the Warren County High School baseball team did whatever it could to make sure Monday’s game against the Middle Tennessee Heat was played.
After umpires failed to show up, two fans from the stands volunteered and got a close view of the 14-4 whipping the Pioneers put on the Heat.
It took nearly 45 minutes to figure out a solution to having no umpires, but once the game started the Pioneers quickly erased a Heat lead and ended their three-game losing streak.
After falling behind by two, Warren County scored seven runs in the second inning and six more in the fourth to end the game after five innings and pick up the team’s 10th victory this season.
Sophomore Tristan Smith got the call to start the game and had some struggles early. Smith gave up a run in the first inning, but was able to battle out of a bases-loaded jam to keep it 1-0.
The Heat got one more run in the second, but Smith was able to leave with the lead when the Pioneers exploded at the plate in the second inning.
Clean-up hitter Austin Green began a big rally, which saw Warren County send 12 batters to the plate, with a single.
Garrison Holmes added a double, then Logan Underhill cut the lead in half with a RBI single to left field.
Kyle Rutledge followed by drawing a walk to load the bases for Lee Carden.
Against a drawn-in infield, Carden drilled a shot to the shortstop. The Heat infielder made a diving stop, but couldn’t make an out anywhere as Carden got an RBI for his infield hit.
With the bases still loaded, Park Hilliard gave Warren County the lead for good when he was hit by a pitch.
Brett Mullican followed with an RBI single and the Pioneers got another free run when Nick Grandey drew a walk.
By the time Daulton Foster scored Hilliard with a sacrifice fly and Mullican scored on a groundout by Holmes, Warren County led 7-2.
Spencer Pryor entered the game to start the third and pitched the next two innings, giving up two runs on two hits while keeping the Pioneers in front.
Warren County added a run in the third as Rutledge scored on a groundout by Mullican, but the Pioneer offense was just getting ready for another big scoring inning.
After the Heat drew within four at 8-4, the Pioneers kicked into high gear in the fourth.
Underhill provided the biggest highlight of the six-run fourth inning when he smashed a two-run home run over the left-field fence at Patrick Ramsey Field.
Hilliard added two runs with a single, then scored the team’s final run when he took home on a passed ball.
David Lee finished the Heat by striking out two batters in the top of the fifth and picking off a runner at third to end the game.
Carden finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Underhill, Rutledge and Green finished with two hits apiece.
Smith earned his first victory of the season by pitching the first two innings and giving up two runs on two hits while striking out two.
Warren County will be off until Friday when the team takes part in the Franklin County tournament. The Pioneers are scheduled to play two games Friday, then continue action Saturday.
Check in Sunday’s Southern Standard for results from the Franklin County tournament.