The Warren County High School baseball team, coming off its season opening win at home against the Upperman Bees on Monday night, suffered its first loss against the Bees on the road Tuesday night in Baxter, 14-6.
The game remained close throughout until Upperman pulled away in the sixth, scoring five runs in the inning. The Pioneers were led by shortstop Taisei Yasunaga, who went 1-for-2 with 2 RBI. Pioneer starting pitcher Will Lupo suffered the loss, allowing seven runs in two innings of work.
The Pioneers started the top of the first inning by striking out in order, and Upperman took advantage in the bottom half of the inning. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Tu Stanton hit a grand slam over the centerfield fence to give Upperman the early 4-0 lead heading into the second.
The Pioneers couldn’t get the bats going in the top of the second and the Bees added to their lead in the bottom half of the inning, scoring three runs to take a commanding 7-0 lead at the end of two. Neither team got in the run column in the third and the Pioneers needed some runs to keep the game interesting in the top of the fourth.
The Pioneers rallied in the top of the fourth by scoring five runs to cut the lead to 7-5, thanks to an RBI single by Colby Elkins, who later scored stealing home, an error, a sacrifice fly by Tyler Prater, and an RBI single by Colton Smith to give the Pioneers life heading to the bottom of the inning.
Upperman blew the game wide open in the bottom half of the sixth by scoring five runs to lead by their largest margin of the night 14-6, heading into the seventh. The Pioneers needed a rally in the top half of the seventh, but couldn’t manage a hit, as they ultimately fell to the Bees 14-6, suffering their first loss on the year.
The Pioneers will be back on the diamond, looking to avenge their first loss, today and again on Saturday, when they will take part in the Wildcat Classic tournament in Red Bank. First pitch is to be determined.