Taking both ends of a doubleheader Wednesday at Patrick Ramsey Field, the Warren County Pioneers defeated Indiana’s Greenwood High School Woodmen 5-1 in game one, and 6-4 in game two.
In the opener, Warren County hit the ground running in the bottom of the first, after chopping down the first three Woodmen batters. Taisei Yasunaga walked to first and advanced to second on a passed ball. With one out, Yasunaga reached third on another passed ball and was able to score off a Colby Elkins ground out, 1-0.
The next two innings for Greenwood were unproductive with Tyler Hollingsworth on the mound who earned the win for the Pioneers. He went seven innings, surrendering 1 run, 3 hits, and 8 strikeouts.
Greenwood put a run on the board in the top of the fourth, but not before the Pioneers had scored one in the bottom of the third after Tasunaga walked, stole second and is driven home by Elkins, 2-1. The Pioneers then scored again in the bottom of the fourth in a melee of activity as Ethan Smith found home plate, 3-1.
Two more runs in the bottom of the fifth sealed the deal for the Pioneers. Lucas Rogers, Brooks Helton and Isaac Golden all singled to load the bases, Wesley Jenkins hit a grounder to left field scoring Rogers, 4-1, and Yasunaga walked yet again pushing in Jennings for the final run, 5-1.
The Pioneers had 11 hits in the game. Helton, Elkins, and Rogers all had 2 hits for Warren County. Yasunaga, Jennings, Trayton Rackley and Peyton Norris all had 1 hit each. Elkins led with 3 RBIs while Yasunaga had 2 runs, Rogers 1, Jennings 1 and Smith 1.
In the back half of the doubleheader, Warren County again struck first, retiring the Woodsmen 1-2-3 and scoring two runs in the first inning. Yasunaga singled with a ground ball to second, Elkins made it to first off a miscue on a grounder, Rogers hit a hard ground ball to right field sending Yasunaga home, 1-0. Helton was then hit by a pitch loading the bases and Jennings hit a sacrifice fly scoring Elkins before ending the inning, 2-0.
Greenwood went down chopping again 1-2-3, and Warren County scored 3 more runs in the second inning as Norris is walked to first and Smith bunts, reaching first on an error. Estes bunted into a fielder’s choice, Smith advanced and Norris scored, 3-0. Elkins then singled on a line drive to center field and scores Estes, 4-0, followed by Rogers who singled on a line drive to center field scoring Elkins, 5-0.
The Woodsmen would have their best inning in the top of the fourth, as they loaded the bases off two walks and a single. A sacrifice fly scored one and two Pioneer miscues allowed two more runs in before getting the third out, 5-3.
Both teams offset each other in the sixth with 1 run apiece, the Pioneers from Smith who scored off an Elkins single to cement the final score, 6-4.
Jack Keele earned the win from the mound for Warren County throwing three innings, allowing 1 run, 2 hits, 3 strikeouts and 1 walk. Taisei Yasunaga recorded the last three outs to earn the save.
Trevor Collins took the mound first for Warren County allowing 1 hit, 3 runs, 3 strikeouts and 3 walks. The Pioneers had 7 hits. Elkins and Rogers each collected multiple hits for Warren County. Rogers and Elkins each drove in 2 runs to lead the Pioneers. Elkins had 3 hits, Rogers 2 and Estes and Yasunaga each had 1 hit.