If the eight seniors on the Warren County High School baseball team didn’t like how their Senior Night ended, they’ll have a chance to for redemption Saturday.
The Pioneers earned the right to play host to their first District 6-AAA tournament game by clinching the No. 3 seed with a 5-3 victory over Rhea County in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader. In the second contest, the Eagles shut out Warren County 6-0.
Warren County (13-20) went into Wednesday’s games knowing it could be a preview of this weekend’s first-round matchup in the district tournament. Now knowing Rhea County will be the opponent Saturday, coach Adam Childs probably has a good idea how to attack the Eagles.
His strategy will probably begin with starting Ryan Jennings on the hill.
Jennings took control of the first game Wednesday by going the distance to earn the victory. The left-handed hurler allowed only three hits while giving up three runs – two unearned  – and striking out five.
Rhea County got to Jennings early with two hits in the first inning – the second a hot shot Jon Reed couldn’t quite come up with while moving to his left at third base.
The hit gave the Eagles an early 1-0 lead, though Warren County was quick to knot the score. Jett Urtubees opened the second inning by drawing a walk and would come in to score on back-to-back errors by the Eagles to tie the score at 1-1.
An error, followed by a sacrifice fly, momentarily gave Rhea County back the lead in the top of the third before the Pioneers took control.
Senior Park Hilliard opened up the third inning with a double to energize the Pioneer offense. Fellow senior Lee Carden followed with an RBI single to tie the score again.
Chayse Frye pushed Warren County in front for good with a triple that scored Carden. Frye would also score on the play when an errant throw allowed the junior first baseman to round the bases and put the Pioneers ahead 4-2.
Hilliard added an insurance run in the sixth inning with an RBI single to score senior Jerrick McKnight, who entered as a pinch runner after Lucas Rogers drew a walk.
Jennings made the three-run lead stand up in the seventh inning despite hitting a few bumps in the final frame. Jennings hit the lead-off batter, who would ultimately score on a passed ball. Jennings hit another batter as well with two outs, bringing the potential tying run to the plate.
The Pioneer southpaw refocused and forced a weakly hit grounder to shortstop that Logan Underhill corralled and tossed to second for the final out.
Following the first game, Warren County held a ceremony to honor the eight senior players and team manager Nico Reyes. Jennings, Carden, Underhill, Reed, McKnight, Hilliard, Will Sweeton and Tristan Smith all took the field to standing ovations from the Pioneer faithful who waited two days to finally see the season finale. Senior Night was postponed twice due to rain before finally being played Wednesday.
Coach Childs had nothing but good things to say about the group he’s led for the last three seasons.
“This is the first senior class I feel like I have really known. The other two were special, but being with this group for three years has definitely helped with getting to know them,” said Childs. “Many of them helped with out substate run two years ago and have grown ever since. They have worked extremely hard and have helped bring back some positive attitudes to the baseball pogram.
“They are a great group who love being around each other. We are going to miss them. Hopefully we can make another run and send them off right.”
Game two was a rare away game for the Pioneers on their home field, but the two teams flip-flopped on the scoreboard to give Rhea County a home contest since the home-and-home series wasn’t played. Warren County is scheduled to make the trip to Evansville next season for a doubleheader.
Playing as the home team seemed to wake up the Eagles as Warren County was shut out while falling to 7-8 in district play.
Smith took the loss as he pitched five innings and allowed five runs on 10 hits. The senior starter did have eight strikeouts before giving way to Sweeton, who allowed one run on one hit while striking out two in his lone inning of work.
Frye and Hilliard each had two hits in the contest, though neither produced a Pioneer run. Warren County tried a last-ditch effort by loading the bases with two outs in the seventh, but Carden flew out to left field to end the game.
The Pioneers will try to defeat the Eagles for a third time this season Saturday at home. With a win, Warren County would advance to play Cumberland County in a best-of-three semifinal series. A loss would end the Pioneers’ season. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m.